What happens after a Victoria’s Secret show: Kelly Gale on the big business of VS

BEING part of a Victoria’s Secret show can change a model’s career. Australian Kelly Gale reveals how it affected hers — and what aspiring models have to do if they want to nail a VS casting.

Kelly Gale said modelling for Victoria’s Secret has had a huge impact on her career. Picture: Kookai

FANTASY push-up bras, feathered angel wings and lace knickers ... the Victoria’s Secret catwalk is a huge business.

Australian Kelly Gale has modelled for the US lingerie giant four times, including last year’s controversial show in China.

So what impact has being a Victoria’s Secret model had on her career?

“Other clients pick up that you’ve been in the (Victoria’s Secret) show and more people want to work with you,” Gale said.

“And yeah, you get really good exposure.”

Kelly Gale on the Victoria’s Secret runway in Shanghai last year. Picture: Getty Images

She’s been cast in the VS show four times. Picture: Getty Images

Gale, 22, said she hoped to again model on the VS runway this year, and opened up about the competitive casting process.

“You can’t just show up to the VS casting,” Gale said.

“A couple of months preparation goes into it, really hard work beforehand, I amp up my diet routine and my fitness routine.

“You have to be your absolute best on that day.”

Her 2014 VS look for the lingerie giant’s runway in London. Picture: Getty Images

Strike a pose. Picture: Getty Images

She modelled for first Victoria’s Secret show in New York back in 2013. Picture: Getty Images

The VS parade is massive for the brand and the models, who last year had a collective annual income of more than $US50 million, according to Forbes.

Modelling for Victoria’s Secret adds serious cred to their careers, and catapulted ‘it’ girls like Bella and Gigi Hadid, and Kendall Jenner, from rising stars to supermodel status.

With her wings in Paris back in 2016. Picture: Getty Images

So what’s it like being in a VS casting?

“They have heels and underwear for you that we change into once we get there,” Gale said.

“I try to fix my hair and makeup the way it would look in the show.

“For that casting, I have my hair stylist and makeup artist come over to my place beforehand.”

Gale was back in Melbourne this week, where she appeared on the runway for fashion chain Kookai’s new L’Hiver ‘18 “La Parisienne” autumn/winter collection.

Rugged up on the runway for fashion chain Kookai in Melbourne this week. Picture: Kookai

Suit-inspired dresses were a key trend for Kookai’s Paris-inspired autumn/winter collection. Picture: Kookai

Matchy matchy in grey on grey. Picture: Kookai

Her winter wardrobe picks of the season? “I was obsessed with all my looks but my favourite was the dress”.

The New York-based beauty, who is of Australian, Swedish and Indian heritage, got her big break modelling for Chanel when she was 14.

“I flew straight from school in Gothenburg to Paris and did the show and back to school on the same day,” Gale said.

Kelly Gale behind the scenes at the Victoria’s Secret show in Shanghai. Picture: Getty Images

Gale regularly documents her model workouts on Instagram, trains every day, eats smashed avocado, and drinks a green juice in the morning, with kale, spinach, celery, a bit of cucumber, two lemons, ginger, and chlorella. Sounds gross, right?

“It’s important to have two lemons — I wouldn’t like it if it was just greens,” Gale laughed.

“Then it would basically just taste like a garden.”

Kookai’s new “La Parisienne” collection is in stores now.

Originally published as What happens after a Victoria’s Secret show: Kelly Gale on the big business of VS