Miranda Kerr has revealed the personal reason she decided against returning to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway this year, despite receiving an invitation that initially excited her.
The 43-year-old Australian supermodel said she seriously considered making a comeback for the brand’s 2026 show, which marked 20 years since her first appearance. However, when she imagined herself walking the runway in lingerie again, she began feeling anxious.
As a mother of four boys, Kerr said the thought of appearing onstage in her underwear in front of a global audience left her with an uncomfortable feeling she could not shake.
Eventually, she realised that declining the invitation was the decision that brought her peace.
Speaking on the November 3 episode of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, hosted by Amanda Hirsch, Kerr explained that she initially remembered her previous Victoria’s Secret appearances with excitement.
But once she started imagining what the experience would actually feel like at this stage of her life, her reaction changed.
“I got really excited, but then I got kind of anxious,” she explained.
Kerr said meditation did not make the feeling disappear. Instead, she found relief when she imagined telling herself that she would not participate.
That moment helped her recognise that stepping away from the runway was the right decision for her.
Her comments have attracted attention because Kerr remains one of the most recognisable former Victoria’s Secret Angels, and her decision comes during a major revival of the fashion brand’s signature runway event.
Miranda Kerr Was Seriously Considering a Victoria’s Secret Comeback
Kerr’s decision was not an immediate rejection.
During the podcast interview, she explained that the invitation initially sounded exciting because she had fond memories of her previous appearances.
She remembered the playful atmosphere, the friendships and the fun of walking for the brand.
She had also recently returned to the runway after a lengthy break, which made the possibility of another major fashion appearance even more appealing.
However, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show presented a different challenge.
Unlike a conventional fashion runway, the event centres on lingerie, elaborate costumes and the brand’s signature Angel-inspired presentation.
Kerr began thinking about how she would feel wearing underwear onstage at 43, particularly as a mother of four boys.
She described experiencing a persistent knot in her stomach.
Even after trying to calm herself through meditation, the discomfort remained.
When she finally considered withdrawing from the opportunity, she felt the tension disappear.
For Kerr, that reaction was the clearest indication that she should listen to herself rather than accept an opportunity simply because it was prestigious.
Why Being a Mother of Four Changed Her Perspective
Kerr shares four sons with her family.
Her eldest, Flynn, 15, is from her previous marriage to actor Orlando Bloom.
She has three younger sons — Hart, seven, Myles, six, and Pierre, two — with her husband, Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel.
Kerr explained that motherhood and her current stage of life influenced how she viewed the invitation.
She did not suggest that becoming a mother meant she could no longer model lingerie or appear on a fashion runway.
Instead, she described a personal change in how she felt about returning to this particular event.
The distinction matters.
Her decision was not an announcement that she was retiring from modelling altogether. It was a choice about one show and one type of runway experience.
She also made clear that she appreciated the invitation and felt humbled that the brand wanted her back.
Kerr’s comments reflect a broader conversation about how people reassess professional opportunities as their personal priorities and circumstances change.
For someone who has spent years in an industry built around public appearances, fashion campaigns and international attention, deciding when to step away can be just as meaningful as deciding when to return.
The Supermodel First Walked Victoria’s Secret in 2006
Kerr made her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut in 2006.
She went on to walk in six editions of the show: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012.
She became one of the brand’s best-known Angels, helping establish her international profile during the height of the Victoria’s Secret runway era.
Her appearances became associated with the elaborate wings, glamorous lingerie designs and theatrical production that made the show a major annual entertainment event.
One of her most memorable moments came in 2011, when she wore the brand’s Fantasy Treasure Bra, reportedly valued at US$2.5 million.
Kerr’s last Victoria’s Secret runway appearance was in 2012. She subsequently chose not to renew her contract with the brand in 2013.
Her relationship with Victoria’s Secret nevertheless remained an important part of her modelling career.
That history explains why the 2026 invitation carried particular significance: it offered her an opportunity to revisit the runway two decades after her debut.
She Returned to the Runway Before Turning Down Victoria’s Secret
Interestingly, Kerr’s decision did not mean she had lost interest in fashion modelling.
In September 2026, she made a surprise runway appearance at the Stella McCartney Spring/Summer 2027 womenswear show during Paris Fashion Week.
The appearance attracted attention because it marked a return to runway modelling after a lengthy break.
Kerr appeared in a striking seafoam-green outfit, demonstrating that she remained comfortable participating in high-profile fashion events.
However, she explained that a conventional designer runway and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show were very different experiences.
The Stella McCartney appearance gave her a positive feeling about returning to modelling.
The Victoria’s Secret invitation, by contrast, made her think more deeply about whether she wanted to appear in lingerie before a worldwide audience.
That distinction helps explain why she could enjoy one runway appearance while declining another.
Her decision was not necessarily about rejecting the fashion industry. It was about choosing the opportunities that felt right at this point in her life.
Miranda Kerr Had Already Explained Her Decision on Instagram
Before discussing the decision in detail on the podcast, Kerr shared a message on Instagram on October 17, shortly before the 2026 fashion show.
She reflected on the 20th anniversary of her first Victoria’s Secret appearance and expressed gratitude for the memories and friendships she had made during that period.
She also confirmed that she had been invited to return for this year’s show.
However, she said she ultimately felt it was right to cherish that chapter of her life rather than recreate it.
The post received attention from fans who remembered her years as one of the brand’s most recognisable Angels.
Victoria’s Secret also responded warmly, reinforcing that Kerr would always be considered part of the brand’s history.
Her later podcast interview provided more detail about the personal feelings behind that earlier statement.
The 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Still Delivered Major Celebrity Moments
While Kerr decided to sit out the event, the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show went ahead on October 18 at Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles.
The production brought together established supermodels, returning Angels, newer runway faces and major musical performers.
Among the notable appearances were Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Alessandra Ambrosio and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
Kylie Jenner also made her Victoria’s Secret runway debut, wearing a Fantasy Bra created in collaboration with jewellery company Jacob & Co.
The design was reportedly valued at US$50 million and featured 4,410 diamonds, including a 75.54-carat yellow diamond.
The show also included performances from Tate McRae, KATSEYE, Megan Thee Stallion and Megan Moroney.
Reuters described the event as a seasonal-themed spectacle, featuring elaborate designs inspired by spring, summer, autumn and winter.
The production demonstrated the brand’s continued effort to make the annual show a major event combining fashion, celebrity culture and live entertainment.
Victoria’s Secret Is Trying to Reconnect With Its Fashion Legacy
The 2026 show also arrived during a period of renewed attention on the brand’s identity and its relationship with longtime fans.
Victoria’s Secret’s runway presentation has undergone significant changes over the years.
The original fashion show became internationally famous for its extravagant wings, celebrity performances and high-profile Angels.
However, the brand faced criticism over its image and representation, eventually leading to the show’s hiatus after 2018.
The event returned in 2024 with a different approach, attempting to combine elements of its traditional runway spectacle with a broader range of models and contemporary presentations.
The 2026 edition continued that effort.
As The Straits Times reported in its overview of former Angels, the show’s return also reignited conversations about which established models were invited back, which were absent and how the brand was choosing its new faces.
Kerr’s decision to decline was therefore part of a much wider story about the changing relationship between Victoria’s Secret and the models who helped build its reputation.
What Miranda Kerr Is Focusing on Today
Outside modelling, Kerr has developed a business career through her skincare company, KORA Organics, which she founded in 2009.
She has also continued appearing at fashion events, public engagements and international celebrity gatherings.
Her marriage to Spiegel and her four children are important parts of her life outside the runway.
Rather than making a dramatic announcement about leaving fashion, Kerr has simply become more selective about the opportunities she accepts.
Her decision also offers a reminder that a successful career does not require someone to repeat every defining moment of their past.
Sometimes, moving forward means appreciating what an earlier chapter gave you without feeling obligated to recreate it.
The Bigger Message Behind Miranda Kerr’s Decision
Kerr’s explanation has resonated because it touches on something familiar beyond the fashion industry: the pressure to say yes to an opportunity simply because it looks exciting from the outside.
She was invited back to a globally recognised event that had played a major role in her career.
She had the experience, the recognition and the opportunity to return alongside other established models.
Yet she still had to consider whether she genuinely wanted to do it.
Her comments show that she ultimately trusted her own feelings rather than allowing the prestige of the invitation to determine her decision.
She also made clear that she remained grateful to Victoria’s Secret and appreciated being considered.
There was no public dispute or falling-out with the brand behind her choice.
For Miranda Kerr, the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was an opportunity to revisit the past — but she decided that some memories are better cherished than recreated.
