Lorena Durán, the first Spanish curvy model to model for Victoria’s Secret, has returned to the center of the media spotlight after an interview given on Y Ahora Sonsoles, the evening program on Antena 3 presented by Sonsoles Ónega. The 32-year-old model reviewed her career, the obstacles she faced and the impact of becoming a pioneer in one of the most influential fashion brands.
“It wasn’t easy”: beginnings marked by criticism and pressure
Durán recounted how a hormone treatment she received when she was only 15 years old transformed her body, provoking a complicated stage marked by external judgments and impossible demands. “When I started in fashion it wasn’t easy at all, I was running into no’s all the time. I was told many times that I had to lose weight, that I had to get into the 90-60-90.” he explained to Ónega.
Those words, which today resonate as an example of the rigidity of certain canons, did not stop Lorena, who defended her physique and persevered in an environment where curves were not yet present or represented.
Victoria’s Secret, her career turnaround: “It was a before and after”.
The interview moved on to what has undoubtedly been the biggest turning point in her career: her signing with Victoria’s Secret. Durán recalled the disbelief she felt when she received the call from the American firm: “At first I thought they were wrong because you’ve never seen a different body in Victoria’s Secret before. It was a before and after in my career.” .
Her participation meant a change of narrative within the brand and a powerful message for thousands of women who could not find real references in the industry. With naturalness and emotion, the model vindicated the importance of those images that went around the world.
Admiration for her colleagues: “They are girls of flesh and blood”.
Beyond her personal experience, Lorena wanted to highlight the human value of the women with whom she shared the stage. “They are flesh and blood girls, super-precious, super-warriors and fighters. I admire them,” she said, breaking with the idealized perception that traditionally surrounds the firm’s fashion shows.
His words emphasized sisterhood and collective strength in a sector where physical and emotional pressure is commonplace.
A final message loaded with symbolism
The conversation concluded with a reflection on the iconic wings that Victoria’s Secret used to put on its models: spectacular pieces, but also very heavy. Durán took advantage of that detail to launch an inspiring message: “Wings are very heavy. I think we all have wings and we are all super awesome women”.
A metaphor that sums up its evolution: from carrying the expectations of others to unfolding its own flight in the international industry.
Lorena Durán, a benchmark of a new stage in the fashion industry
Her testimony, sincere and forceful, consolidates Lorena Durán as one of the essential voices of change in Spanish fashion. Her time at Victoria’s Secret marked a before and after not only in her career, but also in the representation of body diversity. And her words on television reaffirm a commitment that goes beyond the catwalk: to push the industry towards a more inclusive, real and respectful model.
At a time when fashion is reinventing itself and questioning its own limits, figures like this Sevillian woman are essential to understand where the sector is evolving. Her story, far from ending, continues to inspire new generations who seek to see their own identity reflected in a world that for too long opted for uniformity.
