A glimpse into the life of a VS model

Sanne Vloet walks the runway in Shanghai. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Contrary to popular belief, being a Victoria's Secret model is not all fun and glamour, said Sanne Vloet.

The 22-year-old was among the contingent of 55 models who took to the runway at the inaugural Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai on Nov 20. She is also the brand ambassador for Huawei's P10 phone.

In an interview with China Daily, the Dutch model talked about her grueling schedule as a model which included waking up at 6 am and having just one day off a week.

She revealed that the models started preparing for the Shanghai show in August, working out six times a week and adhering to a strict diet.

The hardest time, she said, is always the few days before the fashion show. Besides having to take part in rehearsals, models also had to pay extra attention to their diets, skincare and deal with jetlag.

"Several days before the show, you will find everyone focusing on just the show and nothing else. No other work. No personal matters," said Vloet.

Discovered by an agent when she was 14, Vloet started her modeling career four years later after completing high school. She has since featured in many fashion shows in cities such as London, Milan and New York, as well as graced the covers of major publications like Vogue.

Vloet admitted that she never thought of becoming a Victoria's Secret model until a friend encouraged her to do so.

"Our CEO said that the probability of becoming a Victoria's Secret model is lower than becoming one of the top soccer players in the world," said Vloet, who decided to give the casting a shot anyway.

To prepare for the casting, Vloet embarked on an intense exercise regime to tone her body. In 2015, the Dutch joined the renowned stable of Victoria's Secret models. She was only 19.

The Dutch said that the atmosphere and the scale of the Shanghai fashion show left a deep impression in her.

"It was so exciting to be part of the show. This edition in Shanghai is much larger than those from the last two years, be it in terms of stage size or the audience numbers," said Vloet.

"The vibe was so good and everyone was emotional. All the girls were hugging and crying. I will never forget that moment."