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Suni Lee fired back at criticism for trolling her over her debut at Victoria's Secret Fashion Week. Lee made her first runway walk for the American lingerie, clothing, and beauty brand on October 15, 2025. Lee walked on the runway for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show alongside American basketball star Angel Reese. The gymnast stunned her fans in a cheeky and sporty attire, donning an outfit from the brand's PINK line. Lee was seen wearing black mini shorts and paired them with a sports bra. The look was paired with a pink jacket, sparkling accessories, and stiletto heels.Although her fans and other athletes were mesmerized by her bold look, she also received huge criticism for not sitting within the norms of a standard model with a skinny and tall figure. However, the backlash did not affect the multiple-time Olympic medalist as she had the answer of her own. During her appearance at the 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York City on November 3, 2025, Lee responded to the criticism, saying:"Honestly, there was just a lot of people mad because I'm not tall and skinny or wasn't a real model, but like at the end of the day, I was there and they [the critics] weren’t, so it was just really exciting. I was really happy to be there, so I wasn't going to let anyone take my moment away from me." View this post on Instagram Instagram PostLee was seen wearing a pastel orange low-cut gown by Dauphinette at the 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards. Suni Lee explains what it meant to appear at the Victoria's Secret runway walk Suni Lee attends Glamour Women of the Year in New York City. (Photo by Getty Images)Speaking about her appearance for Victoria's Secret runway walk, Suni Lee stated that although the young girls have looked up to her as a gymnast, she was never seen as an icon in the fashion world. In an interview with Marie Claire, she added that walking the runway allowed her to showcase to young girls that they can be athletes and embrace their femininity, too. “Growing up, I didn’t see many girls who looked like me in spaces like this. To now be here as an athlete, as someone who’s worked so hard to achieve her dreams, it feels powerful. I want young girls to know they don’t have to fit into just one box. You can chase Olympic gold and still own your femininity."She added:"Honestly, I didn’t have much time to prepare for this, and that was probably for the best. It allowed me to show up here exactly as I am. Just me, not trying to be something I’m not."After her Paris Olympics, Suni Lee also appeared on the SI Swimsuit issue.
