It’s coming up to that time of year when we stock up on red wine, chocolate, popcorn and cake, take up a reclined position on our couches to watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and wonder why we don’t look like these models, as we polish off a tray of brownies. But this year, we’ll be watching with a little more excitement than usual, because five Australian girls have been chosen to walk the show. Five of us! And what does that mean for all of us at home? Bragging rights!

Here are the success stories that we definitely can’t take credit for, but probably will anyway:

Duckie Thot

You may have seen Duckie’s face fronting campaigns for Fenty Beauty, Moschino, and Camilla. At only 22, she has taken the modelling world by storm in the first few years of her career. At 17, she came third on Australia’s Next Top Model, and from there has seen success after success. Not only has Duckie been so successful, she’s also had to push through some pretty tough times in her personal life to get where she is today. Duckie’s younger sister Sarah suffered from an undiagnosed condition that caused her to lose the ability to walk, talk, and eat. Sarah then passed away in 2016. Duckie has five other siblings, including older sister Nikki Perkins, who has a YouTube channel with husband Jamie Perkins. As avid (borderline addicted) ANTM watchers, we’re even more proud of Duckie! We can’t wait to see her beautiful smile grace our television screen again this year during the show.

Sabah Koj

Sabah Koj is no newbie in the modelling world. She has fronted campaigns for the likes of Jacquemus and Giorgio Armani. What makes her even more special is what it took for her to get on the runway. Sabah escaped war torn Sudan and lived in Egypt for four years before eventually making the move to Melbourne where her modelling career really took off. In 2016, Koj became the first African model to open an Australian fashion show, walking for Georgia Alice at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. She made her debut on an international runway at New York Fashion Week this year in the Tadashi Shoji show. Now, Victoria’s Secret has snatched Koj up and she will be taking on the infamous VS runway this year. The Aussie model took to Instagram to share her excitement at being chosen for the show in a heartwarming video.

Shanina Shaik

Shanina Shaik is very familiar with the modelling world, especially Victoria’s Secret. Shaik has appeared in print-work for the brand, and has been picked for a coveted position on the VS runway again. Shaik is signed with the prestigious NEXT Model Management, and has featured on the covers of some of our favourite publications, namely Cosmopolitan, Vogue India, Cleo, and Harper’s Bazaar in Australia, Vietnam, Singapore and Arabia. After taking time off the VS runway in 2017, she will be back for her sixth show this year. She’s also our pick for the all-important role of showcasing the 2018 Fantasy Bra, valued at $2 million. Fingers crossed!

Kelly Gale

Kelly Gale is so experienced, she might as well live on the runway. Her first major show was Chanel, who she walked for at age 17. Since then she’s walked for massive brands like Jean-Paul Gaultier, Tom Ford, John Galliano, and Tommy Hilfiger. This is Gale’s fifth time walking for Victoria’s Secret, and she has well and truly earned her wings. She walked her first show in 2013 at the tender age of 18, and has feature in the 2014, 2016, and 2017 shows.

Alannah Walton

Alannah Walton is relatively new to the modelling scene, and already she has made her mark and done some serious strutting. She was signed with IMG Models when she was 15 after being found by photographer Mario Testino in a restaurant. Last year she walked 12 shows at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week last year, and has now, at 17 years old, been selected for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Not only is she an incredible model, she was even training to swim in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio! No we’re not jealous, you are.

Jokes aside, the most beautiful thing to come out of this incredible line-up is the multiculturalism and diversity in the group of models, and not just the Aussies. Yes, Thot and Koj are both of Sudanese heritage, and Shanina Shaik is half Australian and half Indian. But VSFS also has their first ever Filipino model walking (Kelsey Merritt), and models who don’t necessarily fit the “model stereotype” like Winnie Harlow have also joined the cast. We’re loving the diversity this year – let’s keep it coming Victoria’s Secret. All we need now are a couple of plus-sized models and you have yourself a show!

Good luck to all the girls, but especially our Aussie gems, as they begin their training for the much-anticipated show! We know we’re excited.

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