Victoria’s Secret alum Bianca Balti reveals she was denied runway walk as she battles cancer

A former Victoria's Secret model, Bianca Balti, has claimed that the fashion brand refused to select her as a runway model for their recently concluded fashion show, amidst her cancer battle.

In a self-published post on Substack, the 41-year-old model alleged that she sent a request to the brand on October 6, 2025, asking to walk their October 16, 2025, show.

Balti, who was reportedly diagnosed with cancer in 2024, said she hoped to participate in the fashion show to bring hope to women who are battling cancer:

"I made this bold move because ever since I got sick, I’ve felt a responsibility to bring hope not just to women with cancer, but to everyone learning to live again after hardship."

Victoria’s Secret reportedly responded to her request with the statement:

“Thank you so much, but it doesn’t work this year.”

She added that she didn’t regret reaching out to the brand because cancer has taught her always to try things because life is short.

“And to Victoria’s Secret — please don’t worry, I didn’t take it personally,” Bianca Balti after the fashion label denied her request to participate in a fashion show

In her Substack write-up, Balti revealed that she was inspired to reach out to Victoria’s Secret after seeing that the brand had become more inclusive and had more representation on its roster of models.

She included excerpts from the email she sent to the brand:

"Over the past few years, I’ve watched your brand’s beautiful transformation — a true commitment to diversity and inclusion. I’ve seen women of every size, ethnicity, gender, and age represented in your campaigns and shows. When I saw the announcement that the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was returning this year, I felt something powerful: I should be there too."

She added that since her breast cancer diagnosis, she had become an inspiration for other women. She recently co-hosted an event at which she appeared baldheaded, and women wrote to her to say that they were inspired to go out without a wig. 

She addressed Victoria’s Secret in her write-up, stating that she wasn’t angry about their refusal:

"And to Victoria’s Secret — please don’t worry, I didn’t take it personally."

Balti concluded her article by emphasizing the need for the fashion brand to include women who are battling cancer:

"We are your audience. We are your customers. We are your sisters, mothers, and daughters. And we would be so proud to see ourselves represented — bold, beautiful, and alive."