Maria Borges’ 'Fro Was the Best Thing on the Victoria’s Secret Runway Last Night

Ms. Maria Borges, slaying on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show catwalk last night. Photo: Getty

Yesterday, it seemed all of our social media timelines were inundated with images from the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which taped last night. While there was much buzz around the addition of VS runway newbies Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, Victoria’s Secret vet Maria Borges is the one who truly caught our eye.

You’ll recognize the Angolan model form her turn on the runways for Balmain, Jeremy Scott, Zac Posen and more. She’s also appeared in Givenchy’s Spring 2014 campaign and nabbed the cover of L’Officiel Singapore’s March 2015 cover. This year marked Borges’ third consecutive time on the Victoria’s Secret runway and this go-round, she made the decision to cling to her natural beauty and hit the catwalk rocking a cropped ‘fro – quite a departure from the silky, long, flowing styles we’re accustomed to seeing on Victoria’s Secret models – including Borges, who donned extensions for past shows. The model took to Instagram before the show yesterday to announce to her followers that she would be walking with her hair in its natural state.

As I browsed through my timeline yesterday seeing photos of Borges primping backstage, feelings of excitement washed over me. Excitement that Victoria’s Secret, of all brands, was embracing a kind of beauty I never thought they would even acknowledge. This year, when they announced the new Victoria’s Secret Angels, I was admittedly left a little cold. Out of the 10 women picked to bear the label’s coveted title, only two were women of color. The rest of the models adhered to the look Victoria’s Secret has been peddling for decades as the standard of beauty: white, tall, thin and mostly blonde. Here, the label had an opportunity to expand their roster and its representation of beauty – one I believe they squandered.

This is not to say that the women who they chose are undeserving of the “Angel” title, but it seemed strange to me that the lingerie giant felt they absolutely needed eight more thin, white women to represent their brand when there is a host of beauties of different ethnicities and sizes to choose from. They could have made a statement and added a model over a size 4. They could have hired at least one East or South Asian model. To me, it seemed like more of the same, but the fact that Borges walked the runway for one of the most watched fashion shows in the world with a cropped cut, her kinks and coils on full display, really makes me think that perhaps Victoria’s Secret is at least trying to expose their massive audience to different types of beauty.

Maria Borges gives us a twirl on the Victoria’s Secret runway. Photo: Getty

Borges’ turn on yesterday’s runway comes at a time when the fashion world seems to be more open to embracing curly, kinky and coily hair for its true beauty. Dominican-born Lineisy Montero was the most booked model during fashion month, and her hair is unapologetically kinky. She walked in a reported 68 shows, opening five and closing one. Céline’s Fall 2015 campaign features Karly Loyce, whose tiny fro stretches towards the sun as she casts a cool glance towards the camera.

But the reason Borges’ catwalk appearance is so important is because of its reach. The average American who doesn’t follow fashion might never recognize Montero on the street or may not have even paid attention to Céline’s latest campaign. But everyone from the heartlands to Harlem knows what Victoria’s Secret is. Models who are dubbed VS Angels become household names and some of the most recognizable faces in fashion. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is watched by millions – last year’s show garnered 9.1 million viewers.

This year’s show has yet to air (December 8, 10/9 c on CBS) but we’re guessing the numbers will be just as high. That’s a LOT of people watching a kinky haired beauty on the catwalk. That’s a lot of people being exposed to a standard of beauty we’ve never seen from the likes of Victoria’s Secret. That’s a lot of little kinky/curly girls seeing their beauty affirmed on a national stage. This is not to say natural black beauties have never walked for VS without straight hair extensions. Alek Wek hit the catwalk in 2001 rocking a set of cornrows. In 2006, Ajuma Nasenyana walked with a close-cropped baldie. Still, Borges’ hair is absolutely groundbreaking for Victoria’s Secret and we’re hoping this isn’t the last time we see a tightly coiled, super textured ‘fro grace their runway.

Borges dedicated her catwalk turn to Africa, “this one is for you! I LOVE YOU. Chère Afrique bien aimée,” she said in an Instagram post.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.