Eco Angels: Victoria’s Secret Angels go Green

By Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi

Victoria’s Secret isn’t the most eco-friendly brand, but it’s trying: after being condemned by Greenpeace for its pollutive practices, the lingerie brand has promised to eliminate hazardous chemicals in its products, but you’ll have to wait until 2020 for that to happen.

Fortunately, some of the models that make the label so iconic are well ahead of the game. Not only are these women beautiful, they’re also caring and conscious. Here, Eluxe features five of the most eco-friendly Victoria’s Secret Angels.

Miranda Kerr

Some people say it was Miranda Kerr who first triggered Victoria’s Secret towards “greener” pastures. The Aussie model has always been adamant in living her life in harmony with the planet, and has publicly stated she uses eco-friendly light bulbs, rides a bike instead of driving, grows her own vegetables and favours green clothing brands.

She also founded her own organic skincare line called Kora, and says that her greatest beauty tips are plenty of exercise, eating organic and drinking loads of water.

Angela Lindvall

A pioneer in the field, Angela Lindvall established herself as a ‘green’ model by getting involved in initiatives like the Collage Foundation, which she founded in 2001. The Foundation is aimed at educating young people about eco causes, which are close to her heart. Her day-to-day life choices are also as green as can be: for two years, she and her husband William Edwards transformed their property into a sustainable paradise, by installing a filtration system to cut back on bottled water and equipping it with solar panels to power the yurt out back. Furthermore they planted fruit trees and herbs for backyard-to-table meals, setting up a charging station for their Ford C-MAX Energy hybrid.

Lindvall also grows her own produce, and is a strong supporter of eco-jewellery brand John Hardy, with whom she often collaborates.

Gisele Bundchen

Another model who claims to be super eco friendly is Brazilian babe Gisele Bundchen, who has transformed her majestic Californian abode into an eco-mansion. The former girlfriend of the super-eco star, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gisele founded the Clean Water Foundation with her father to help bring potable water to her countrymen in Brazil.

Like Miranda Kerr, Bundchen also launched an eco-friendly skincare line–hers is called Sejaa– and for those interested in a greener lifestyle, she shares green tips on her official site.

Coco Rocha

The Canadian-born Rocha is an habitue host of green auctions, such as Christie’s Green Auction: Bid to Save The Earth, which raises money for green causes. She also created a jewellery collection with Senhoa, an organisation that helps provide services and economic opportunities for Cambodian survivors of human trafficking. The slogan of her line is “accessorise your conscience” and it couldn’t be more appropriate, since all the profits go to fund the food, medicine, shelter and education of children.

In her personal life, the model is also fond of vintage clothing and upcycling–in fact, her Hastings-on-Hudson house is almost entirely kitted out in vintage decor and second hand purchases.

Candice Swanpoel

One of the favourite Victoria’s Secret models is also a favourite with another brand: Bottletop. This unique brand makes high fashion out of recylced bottle tabs, donating all proceeds of the sales to funding grassroots education in Africa via The Bottletop Foundation.

A huge fan of eco-fashion, Swanepoel also adores the handmade shell anklets made by Eluxe writer Electra Gillies. Watch out for these anklets to be THE beach trend of 2015 and beyond!