Victoria's Secret Faces 'Token' Diversity Backlash as Mar Supremacy Reaches Angel Final With Just One Curvy Model

Victoria's Secret is facing fresh criticism over diversity after Mar Supremacy advanced to the final stage of its search for a new Angel. Online debate centred on whether the lingerie giant has done enough to embrace different body types.

Mar is among nine finalists competing in the brand's Angels Among Us docuseries, which follows an open casting search for a new Victoria's Secret Angel. The winner is due to be announced during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on 18 October 2026.

Mar Supremacy Reaches the Final Stage

Mar Supremacy, a Los Angeles-based model and finance student, was selected from the crowd during the casting process by model Paloma Elsesser. She is now one of nine women still competing for the chance to become the brand's newest Angel.

Her progression has attracted attention partly because Victoria's Secret has spent recent years attempting to reshape its image around a broader definition of beauty. However, the current finalist line-up has prompted some viewers to question how far that transformation has actually gone.

Viewers Question Victoria's Secret's Body Diversity

The criticism centres on the perception that there is still limited representation of fuller body types among the finalists. Some online reactions have described the inclusion of a curve model as feeling like a token gesture rather than evidence of a deeper change in the brand's casting philosophy.

That criticism comes against a broader history of complaints about Victoria's Secret's approach to size diversity. A 2026 academic study examining the company's 2025 social-media campaign found that, although the brand showcased racial, transgender, pregnant, plus-size and older models, its representation could still create a hierarchy around inclusion.

Online comments were brual, with some not believing that the plus-size model was chosen like the rest of the girls. Some also questioned why there was only one plus-size participant in the group.

Previous Criticism Around Tokenism

Victoria's Secret has made visible efforts to broaden its casting in recent years, including featuring models with different body types and identities in its fashion shows. However, questions about tokenism have not disappeared. Coverage of the 2025 show noted that plus-size representation remained comparatively rare across major fashion runways, with some castings leaving curvier models as the only women above a traditional sample size.

That history makes the current Angels Among Us casting particularly significant. Supporters of greater representation want diversity to be integrated throughout a campaign rather than concentrated around a small number of models.

Victoria's Secret Is Trying to Redefine the Angel

The company's current strategy is notably different from the era when the Victoria's Secret Angel was almost exclusively associated with one highly specific body type. The 2026 fashion show is set to feature established names including Gigi Hadid, Alex Consani and Paloma Elsesser, while the new docuseries has introduced contestants from a wide range of backgrounds.

The finalist group includes former beauty-pageant contestants, athletes, entrepreneurs, international models and aspiring performers. Mar's presence adds another dimension to that attempt at broadening the traditional Angel image.

Online Debate Shows the Brand Still Has Work To Do

The backlash does not necessarily mean Victoria's Secret has abandoned diversity. Instead, it highlights how closely the company is now being scrutinised over whether its changes are substantive.

For a brand that spent years being criticised for promoting a narrow beauty ideal, simply having representation can no longer be enough for some consumers. The expectation is increasingly that different body types should be visible consistently rather than appearing as an isolated exception.

With Mar Supremacy now among the finalists, the eventual winner will provide another test of how seriously Victoria's Secret intends to redefine what an Angel can look like.