Adriana Lima's Career Defining Moments

While you might know Adriana Lima best from her years as a Victoria's Secret Angel, this supermodel has been dominating the fashion industry for over two decades.

At the budding age of 13, Brazilian supermodel Adriana Lima was discovered while shopping at the mall with her mom; just two years later she won first place in Brazil's Supermodel of the World search. Her rise from thereon out was nothing short of meteoric. A year after her win in Brazil, Lima made the move to the states to take on New York City, signing with renowned agency Elite Models, ready to dominate the fashion industry.

Designer Anna Sui gave Lima her runway debut at NYFW where she graced the catwalk for the designer's Spring/Summer 1997 show at just 16 years old. In the aftermath, Lima was covering magazines all over Brazil before landing a coveted spot on the Victoria's Secret runway, where she remained for 19 years as the brand's longest-running Angel. However, she recently hung up her wings, announcing her retirement in 2018 by way of Instagram.

From her very first casting call in 1996 to her latest appearance in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty show, L'OFFICIEL has compiled a list of Lima's most pivotal career moments.

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Baby's first polaroids! Lima attended her very first casting for American Vogue in 1996.

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Already a natural, Lima made her debut at Anna Sui's Spring/Summer 1997 show.

The beginning of a beautiful relationship, Lima's first time being photographed was by Ellen von Unwerth for Italian Vogue in 1999.

With momentum building, Lima stars in a meta-editorial entitled "Billboard Clicks" by von Unwerth for Italian Vogue September 2000.

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Polished and refined, Lima floats down the runway in Chanel Fall/Winter 2000.

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Lima stuns in McQueen Fall/Winter 2002, owning the signature dramatic and erotic elements to McQueen's collections.

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Already well adjusted to trotting around in her skivvies, Lima steals the 2002 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

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During Galliano's time at Dior, Lima embodied the effortless Hollywood showgirl channeled during the Spring/Summer 2003 show.

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Nothing shows off Lima's versatility in fashion quite like the Givenchy Fall/Winter 2009 campaign by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott.

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Steven Meisel, arguably the greatest fashion photographer in the world, captures Lima for Italian Vogue's June 2014 cover story, aptly titled "Ridiculously Gorgeous."

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Another genius collaboration between Lima and von Unwerth, the duo channel Edie Sedgwick in "Factory Girls" for the November 2014 issue of Vogue Brasil.

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Surplus meets couture at the Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2015 show.

Lima is the embodiment of power and sex at the Versace Spring/Summer 2017 show.

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Lady of Leisure—Lima stuns in this surrealist-inspired W Magazine spread by Charlotte Wales for the September 2018 issue.

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A long-established favorite of Miuccia Prada, Lima sports a bright red lip and hotpants straight from the '60s in Miu Miu's 2019 Resort show.

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No slowing down for her! 25 years after her debut, Lima's presence in the fashion industry is still powerful, as proven by the Savage X Fenty Fall/Winter 2021 show.