Romee Strijd Was Rejected From The Victoria’s Secret Show. How Does That Make Sense?

Some models practically embody the Victoria’s Secret fantasy : beautiful, feminine, glamorous, and seemingly born to wear a pair of wings. Romee Strijd and Frida Aasen are two of them. Which makes the news that Romee wasn’t selected for this year’s show , and that Frida has reportedly been rejected, too, particularly baffling. Both have walked the runway before. Frida appeared in the 2017 and 2018 shows , while Romee became one of the recognizable faces of the brand’s Angel era . These women have already demonstrated that they belong on that stage. Romee Put In The Work In an emotional TikTok , Romee opened up about preparing for a comeback after having two children. She trained throughout the summer and traveled to New York for casting in early September , then spent weeks waiting for an answer while continuing to prepare. For a mother of two, that’s a lot. Training, travel, and the mental energy of pursuing a major career moment all have to fit around a family. Romee clearly cared about making this happen. But the rejection itself wasn’t her only disappointment. According to Romee, her agency repeatedly told her a decision hadn’t been made, only to later indicate that she had already been released. She said the explanation she received was that she didn’t fit this year’s show, and described feeling unsupported by her agency . The Fantasy Was The Point Of course, previous appearances don’t guarantee a place in every show. Casting changes, and there should be room for new faces. Still, it’s difficult to imagine two more natural fits for the sparkling, playful femininity that made Victoria’s Secret appointment television . Romee and Frida have the beauty, presence, and runway experience. What, exactly, is missing? The appeal of the show has always been its ability to make glamour feel exciting: gorgeous lingerie, incredible women, and a little theatrical excess. Models like these make you want to gather your girlfriends, put on something pink, and watch. Romee has reportedly said this experience makes her reluctant to audition again , although she wishes the selected models a successful show and wants to preserve her positive memories of Victoria’s Secret. That may be the saddest part. A woman who helped bring the fantasy to life wanted to return, and now she’s questioning whether it’s worth trying again. Victoria’s Secret can choose its cast. We can still wonder how Romee Strijd didn’t make the cut.