The gymnast walked the runway in sporty look by Victoria’s Secret Pink.
NEED TO KNOW
- Suni Lee made a subtle clapback at criticism of her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut
- In a TikTok video, the athlete asked to stop being bullied and liked a series of comments defending her appearance in the event
- This year, the brand’s creative director, Adam Selman, appointed returning Angels and up-and-coming models in the show, which aired live on Oct. 15
Suni Lee isn’t letting anyone dim her shine.
The Olympic gymnast, 22, walked the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show for the first time on Oct. 15, and just days after her sexy debut, she seemingly clapped back at anyone who thought otherwise.
In a TikTok video posted on Saturday, Oct. 18, the athlete filmed herself lip-syncing to Ariana Grande’s “Successful.” She captioned the clip, “Can u guys stop bullying me.”
She also liked multiple comments that defended her modeling skills and celebrated her runway milestone, including one that read, “You were on the runway and they were mad and at HOME.”
One fan also commented on Lee’s petite stature, writing, “Girl I got your back. Why are people bullying you because of your height, like u can’t control that bro.” Lee then replied, “Like, literally.”
She also posted her own comment, “I love yall 😭🥹 my girls 🤍🤍”
Lee became one of the first athletes to be in the show along with WNBA star Angel Reese. She wore a hot pink sports bra, micro shorts and glittery slingback heels for the Victoria’s Secret Pink section of the presentation, which also included Barbie Ferreira, Iris Law and Lila Moss, as well as a performance by K-Pop girl group TWICE.
In an interview with Marie Claire, Lee said being a part of the iconic event, which made a return to the catwalk in 2024 after being canceled in 2019, “felt like a dream outside of my comfort zone.”
“Growing up, I didn’t see many girls who looked like me in spaces like this. To now be here as an athlete, as someone who’s worked so hard to achieve her dreams, it feels powerful,” she said. “I want young girls to know they don’t have to fit into just one box. You can chase Olympic gold and still own your femininity.”
Last November, she was announced as part of an all-star lineup of athletes with Gabby Thomas and Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu for the magazine’s 2025 issue.
“This is the first time I’ve really taken a break from gymnastics, so diving into something other than that has been really, really different. But, also, probably the best experience of my life,” she said in an interview published in May.
