It was October 18, 2026, in Los Angeles, when Ravleen Varghese described what it was like to walk as a Victoria’s Secret model. No one thought that a girl from rural Kodumon, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, would make it to the glittering runway. At 25, she is the third Indian, and the first Malayali, to walk the Victoria’s Secret runway after Ujjwala Raut and Neelam Gill.

“It’s an incredible feeling! I’m immensely proud of my South Indian roots, and knowing that a young girl from Kerala might see me on that runway and feel that there’s a place for her too – that’s what makes it really special. Coming from a fairly conservative family, modelling wasn’t exactly the most conventional career choice. There were definitely differences in perspective, particularly around what the industry represents. But I’ve always believed, you can deeply respect where you come from, while still choosing a path that’s different from what’s expected of you. I think a big part of growing up is learning to stand by your choices, even when they aren’t immediately understood,” says Ravleen.

She is “boastful” when it comes to South Indian culture and food. “I love simplicity and elegance of Kerala’s traditional textiles. There’s something so beautiful about a classic Kasavu sari, the ivory, gold border, and the way it’s draped. It’s understated but makes such a statement. And what I miss most about Kerala is probably a slower pace of life. The greenery, food, family gatherings, festivals, and even those quirky age-old superstitions that somehow everyone in the family takes very seriously,” she laughs.

Going down memory lane, Roy and Gaye opened the first store Victoria’s Secret on June 12, 1977, at the Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, California. An idea germinated when he felt embarrassed buying lingerie for his wife; the company was conceptualised. He then sold it to Les Wexner for a million dollars.

The show, models and depiction of women have always been controversial. Many stores closed down after women activists felt it was focusing on sex appeal, and didn’t include plus-size or transgender models after former Chief Marketing Officer Ed Razek made controversial comments in 2018. After restructuring, Victoria’s Secret hired Hillary Super, who previously led Savage x Fenty, in 2024; things began to look up.

Ravleen, who was raised in Dubai, was scouted at age 18 by Anima Creative Management while studying design at NIFT Delhi, and later a Master’s degree from the Parsons School of Design. “Honestly, it was quite surreal being part of VS show! These are women I’ve grown up seeing on magazine covers, campaigns and runways – suddenly we’re all part of the same show. Imaan Hammam and Ashley Graham are icons I was absolutely ecstatic about and nervous to meet,” she adds.

This year, after giving birth to her first baby, Angel Barbara Palvin was seen at the show. Alessandra Ambrosio, Precious Lee, Ashley Graham, Paloma Elsesser, Adriana Lima, and Anok Yai, made up the 22 models; Kylie Jenner came wearing a $50 million Fantasy Bra.

“I grew up in Dubai, although my roots are from Kerala. Growing up between cultures has definitely shaped how I see the world. My first exposure to fashion was through my fascination with clothes and textiles – the way people expressed themselves through what they wore. I was always creatively inclined, which eventually led me to study fashion design in Delhi. Modelling, on the other hand, was something I stumbled upon when I was around 18; one opportunity slowly led to another. I think my background in design gave me a completely different appreciation for the industry. I couldn’t be more grateful for the chain of events that has led me to be here,” says Ravleen.

In 2024, Ravleen made her runway debut at Prabal Gurung’s Spring/Summer 2025 show. She believes both shows (VS and Gurung) are incredibly special, but for different reasons. “New York Fashion Week was a huge milestone for me because it marked my entry into the international fashion scene,” she adds.

Interestingly, Victoria’s Secret, however, felt different. “I remember watching the show’s comeback in 2024 with my friends in our model apartment in New York. We even went to see the Empire State Building lit up pink that night. I remember being fascinated by how much cultural impact one fashion show could have. Never in a million years did I imagine I’d be walking that very runway just two years later. It felt like a moment of representation that was much bigger than me,” she confirms.

What’s next, she definitely wants to keep building on this momentum. She would love to work with more designers and brands globally, explore campaigns, “while having my toes in the creative side of fashion. I have a background in fashion design and management, so I’ve always been interested in what happens both in front of and behind the camera. I don’t want to limit myself to just one version of what my career could look like. I’m ambitious, curious, and I like experimenting with things. So hopefully the best is still ahead,” says Ravleen.

“I think NIFT taught me how to create and design, and Parsons taught me how to think about what I create in a larger context. Also, the impact it could have. Somewhere in between, modelling gave me the opportunity to actually experience the industry firsthand. I feel like I’ve had a rather interesting education in fashion — both inside and outside the classroom,” she concludes.

‘From the very beginning, we believed Ravleen had enormous potential’

Gunita Stobe from Anima Creative Management, is the one who discovered the first model from Kerala to walk the Victoria’s Secret show. It was November 2019; Stobe was browsing Instagram a little longer than usual when something caught her attention. She clicked on a small profile picture and enlarged it to get a better look. There was a very pretty, tall girl with beautiful long hair, and sunglasses. It looked like a holiday photo.

“I wanted to see more, so I sent her a message asking if it was her in the picture, whether she had ever considered modelling, and if she would be interested in having a call,” says Stobe.

Ravleen was only 18 then. She put Stobe in touch with her father, and they arranged a Zoom call. “Like many parents outside the creative industry, he knew little about modelling, the fashion world, or the opportunities it could offer his daughter. Naturally, the family was sceptical at first,” she explains.

After several Zoom meetings and calls, they finally met in person in Mumbai, where Ravleen and her father had travelled to meet Anima representatives. “We sat down to discuss the fashion industry, Ravleen’s college studies, which she had just begun, and the path ahead. We agreed that there was no need to rush. We were happy to wait for her to complete her studies, developing her step by step during her college breaks so she could gradually become familiar with modelling and the fashion industry,” she adds.

By early January 2020, Ravleen and her family were ready to get on board. What followed was a long period of development, patience and preparation before she was ready for the international stage. In 2024, she went to New York and made her runway debut for Prabal Gurung’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection. Her studies in New York continued, alongside her journey towards the moment that arrived recently, on October 18, in Los Angeles: her breakthrough debut as a Victoria’s Secret model.

“From the very beginning, we believed Ravleen had enormous potential. We also knew that the journey would take time before she could fully step into modelling. Six years later, seeing that prowess becoming reality makes every moment of the wait worthwhile,” says Stobe. – Asmita is the Lifestyle Editor of NRI Focus. She is an award winning journalist who has been writing on fashion for the last 32 years