Kiwi models take on the Victoria’s Secret catwalk

It’s touted as the most famous – and recently the most infamous – fashion show in the world, and three New Zealand models yesterday joined some of the biggest names in the business on the Victoria’s Secret runway.

Maia Cotton, 19, made her Victoria’s Secret debut, while Georgia Fowler, 26, returned for her third consecutive year in the show and Stella Maxwell, 28, walked for a fifth time, alongside the likes of Kendall Jenner, Gigi and Bella Hadid and Adriana Lima – who took to the catwalk for her 19th and final time.

Cotton, who was “discovered” via Instagram at 14, said being selected for the cast of 50 models was “simply indescribable.”

“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined I would get the opportunity to cast, let alone confirm the show of a lifetime,” she said in an Instagram post in September announcing her inclusion.

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Cotton’s preparation for the show have included starting the day with a complicated sounding smoothie before a workout session with a personal trainer.

“For breakfast, I have a breakfast shake which is one tablespoon of almond butter, one cup of unsweetened almond milk, one scoop of Moon Juice Chocolate Adaptogenic Protein and one scoop of collagen peptides,’ she told Husskie.

Cotton, whose father is artist Shane Cotton, also shared a series of Instagram stories earlier in the week that showed some of the last minute preparations she was undertaking, including a cryotherapy session (a treatment that claims to burn the same number of calories via exposing the body to sub-zero temperatures as an hour at the gym), time at an oxygen bar, and a 24K Pure Gold mask with celebrity aesthetician Mimi Luzon (priced at $520 on her website).

Auckland-born Georgia Fowler, host of Project Runway NZ, instead posted videos of her gruelling pre-show gym workouts, telling News.com.au that despite constant work that recently included travelling to six cities in 11 days, she’s made it to the gym every day since being confirmed for the Victoria’s Secret show.

“I usually train all the time, but in the in the final lead-up there are no excuses and there are no off days,” she said.

“I was hopping on flights and landing and still being like, ‘I have to get myself to the gym’, because at the end of the day, no one else is doing it for you and you’re going to be seen by 1.4 billion people.”

Fowler says she works out for two hours a day with her personal trainer in New York, as well as often adding in a pilates or boxing class or a run, and has been very strict with her diet in the show’s lead-up.

“I’m very healthy already. I eat whole foods, nothing processed,” she said.

“But in the immediate lead-up to the show I cut out all alcohol, sugar, dairy and eat lots of good fats like avocado, nuts, salmon, greens. You get used to eating a certain way and I don’t really crave sugar anymore.

“I just stick to that and I think after the show you have to treat yourself. Deprivation is the worst thing because you can’t stick to it.”

Stella Maxwell, who now has five Victoria’s Secret shows under her belt, had the most flamboyant ensembles of the three New Zealand models this year, and at one point in the show held hands with performer Rita Ora.

Maxwell, who is in a relationship with actress Kristen Stewart, has been outspoken in her support of the controversial show, telling Glamour magazine that being a Victoria’s Secret Angel is an empowering role and has helped build her confidence.

“For me, it feels empowering to walk down a runway in my underwear! The message I want to send out is that women are sexy. We have girls from all over the world in the show – it’s just a very sexy and confident role and situation you are lucky to be in.

“I get the same excitement now as the first time I did. It doesn’t wear off. Every year you get more and more confident.”