Christina Nadin realizes teenage dream after strutting on Victoria’s Secret runway

Christina Nadin has finally made her debut in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, as she fulfills a career-long aspiration she envisioned during high school. 

The Filipino-Irish-British model graced the runway at the show’s 2026 edition in Los Angeles on October 18, becoming the second Filipina to walk on the iconic runway event after Kelsey Merritt made history with her debut in 2018.

The moment carried even greater significance for the 31-year-old, who finally met her longtime idol, supermodel Candice Swanepoel.

Nadin walked in the PINK segment, donning a pink bra adorned with shimmering heart details, complemented by a metallic silver jacket and black flared pants. Taking to Instagram, she shared photos from the milestone event, expressing her gratitude and pride. “honored to be the second filipina to walk the @victoriassecret show,” she wrote in one post.

Merritt was among those who applauded her achievement, commenting, “you killed it!” Actress and beauty queen Catriona Gray likewise celebrated the milestone with a “Bravo!!” Gray, who was crowned Miss Universe in 2018, attended this year’s show as a special guest.

For Nadin, however, the evening transcended the prestige of joining one of fashion’s most celebrated runway lineups. Meeting Swanepoel brought her full circle, reconnecting her with a teenage dream she and her best friend had once dared to have.

“When I was in high school my best friend made me this memory/ manifestation box. the main image on the box was my face stuck onto the iconic @candiceswanepoel body,” she recalled in another Instagram post.

“A teenage dream come true. Thank you all for making that happen,” she added.

While her Victoria’s Secret debut represents a defining moment in her career, Nadin’s ascent in the international fashion scene has been years in the making.

Born in Saudi Arabia, Nadin is the daughter of a Filipina mother from Bicol and an Irish-British father. Although she grew up in the United Kingdom, she has maintained a strong connection to her Filipino heritage through regular visits to the Philippines.

Now based in Los Angeles, Nadin is represented by Select Model Management. Her portfolio includes work with renowned luxury fashion and beauty brands such as Louis Vuitton, Coach, Kenzo, and Armani Beauty.

In 2025, she walked the runway at L’Oréal Paris’ Le Défilé during Paris Fashion Week, joining international models and personalities such as Cara Delevingne and Kendall Jenner, as well as Filipina beauty queen Pia Wurtzbach, who made history with her runway debut at PFW that year.

Beyond the runway, Nadin has also ventured into entrepreneurship. In 2024, she launched Bahay Kubo, an apparel and hair-accessory brand inspired by Filipino culture and ’90s aesthetics.