Irina frames her 2016 walk as a proud maternal moment, emphasizing confidence and joy over the secret she kept from the public eye.
Insiders whisper that hiding a five-month bump in sheer lingerie was the ultimate test of Irina's modeling prowess, while her current attitude toward daughter Lea's potential career suggests a protective 'we'll see' vibe.
Fact 1: Irina Shayk debuted in 2016 while five months pregnant with daughter Lea De Seine. Fact 2: She is walking her fourth VS show in 2026, having returned in 2024 and 2025.
Irina Shayk proves that walking in lingerie while pregnant is a power move, not a vulnerability. The receipts are in: she kept the secret, and she's still slaying a decade later.
It has been exactly ten years since Irina Shayk made her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut, and the supermodel is finally spilling the tea on what was really happening under those sequins. Speaking to Page Six Style backstage at the 2026 runway extravaganza in Los Angeles, the Russian stunner revealed she was about five months pregnant with her first child, daughter Lea De Seine, during that iconic 2016 walk. While the world saw a fierce angel in a fringed bodysuit and a gray lacy lingerie set topped with a trench coat, Irina was secretly carrying Bradley Cooper’s daughter down the runway.
"I felt very proud being Mama," she recalled, describing the moment as her favorite memory from that special day. The revelation comes as Shayk prepares to hit the runway for her fourth time with the brand, having returned to the show in both 2024 and 2025. When asked what keeps her coming back to the spectacle of sexy push-up bras and beautiful fluffy wings, Irina didn't miss a beat, quipping that it's about "girls, and [having] fun backstage." This year’s show features a massive lineup including veterans like Gigi Hadid, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, and Adriana Lima, alongside newcomers like Natalia Bryant.
The event is set to stream live for free at 7:30 p.m. ET on YouTube and across the brand’s social media channels, marking a major moment for the brand's digital evolution. But it’s the relationship dynamics that add the real drama to the story.
Irina shares nine-year-old Lea with ex-boyfriend Bradley Cooper, and the model was pressed on whether her daughter might follow in her footsteps. Her response was pure motherly caution mixed with humor: "We’ll talk about it later. That’s what I’m gonna tell her!" It’s a far cry from the high-pressure environment of the 2016 show, where Irina managed to conceal her baby bump so effectively that the pregnancy remained a secret from the public eye for years.
The ability to maintain that level of discretion speaks volumes about her professionalism and the tight-knit nature of the modeling world's inner circle. The 2026 show also highlights the changing landscape of the brand, with other models like Barbara Palvin returning just six weeks after welcoming her first baby with husband Dylan Sprouse. This trend of postpartum modeling is becoming more normalized, but Irina’s 2016 debut remains a unique anomaly in fashion history.
She didn't just walk while pregnant; she walked while hiding it, turning a personal milestone into a professional triumph. As she steps onto the runway tonight, Irina Shayk isn't just an angel; she's a mother, a survivor of industry scrutiny, and a testament to the fact that sometimes, the best secrets are the ones you wear on the outside while keeping locked on the inside.
