She walked without makeup, and the internet noticed.
In the casting rooms of Miami and New York, two Peruvian women walked forward as representatives of something larger than themselves — the quiet, persistent claim that Latin American beauty belongs on fashion's most visible stages. Natalie Vértiz, a former Miss Perú, and Luciana Fuster, Miss Grand International 2023, both advanced through the rigorous selection rounds of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2026, with Vértiz drawing particular attention for her bare-faced composure before the judges. Their presence in these auditions is already a form of arrival, regardless of what the final selection brings.
- Vértiz entered the casting room without makeup — a deliberate act of authenticity in an industry built on constructed perfection — and the judges kept watching.
- Videos of her runway walk spread rapidly across social media, turning a private audition into a public conversation about what confidence and representation actually look like.
- Fuster, advancing through her own screening with Gigi Hadid among those present, documented her nerves and gratitude openly, making the process visible to audiences who rarely see behind these doors.
- Both women are now in the final waiting period, their fates in Victoria's Secret hands — but the symbolic ground they have already claimed is not contingent on the outcome.
- The broader fashion world is watching: two Peruvian models in contention for one of the industry's most prestigious shows marks a measurable, if incremental, shift in who is invited to compete at this level.
Natalie Vértiz walked into her Victoria's Secret casting in Miami without makeup — no armor, no artifice — and moved through the room with the kind of ease that stopped people. The footage spread quickly online, and the response was immediate: viewers and fashion commentators praised not just her bearing, but the deliberate authenticity of it. She looked like herself, and that seemed to be precisely the point.
Vértiz, a former Miss Perú with years of international runway experience, had received the official invitation weeks earlier and shared it with her followers with genuine emotion. For her, the audition was both a career milestone and a personal statement — a chance to represent Peru on one of fashion's biggest stages, on her own terms, with her own face.
She was not alone. Luciana Fuster, Miss Grand International 2023, also cleared the initial screening and advanced to the in-person round. Fuster documented her experience openly — the nerves, the excitement, the revelation that Gigi Hadid was present during judging. She posted afterward that simply having stood on that stage was already something to be grateful for.
Both women are now waiting for final results, a process that could take weeks. But their advancement through the rounds of one of fashion's most scrutinized selection processes has already registered as significant. In an industry where Latin American representation at the highest levels remains limited, two Peruvian models being taken seriously at this stage carries weight that extends beyond individual ambition.
The conversation online has already shifted — from speculation about whether they will be selected to a broader recognition that they have accomplished something real simply by being there, being invited, being considered. The final decision belongs to Victoria's Secret. The moment itself belongs to them.
Natalie Vértiz walked into the casting room in Miami without makeup, without the armor that models typically wear to these auditions. She was there because Victoria's Secret had invited her—one of thousands who applied, one of a much smaller number who made it to the in-person round. What happened next, captured in videos that spread across social media, surprised people: she moved with the kind of ease and confidence that doesn't come from a makeup chair. The American fashion house's selection team watched her work the runway with nothing but her own face, and the internet noticed.
Vértiz, a former Miss Perú with years of international runway experience behind her, had received the official invitation weeks earlier. She shared the email with her followers—a simple message from Victoria's Secret congratulating her and asking her to audition for the 2026 Fashion Show, one of the most prestigious events in global fashion. For her, it was the culmination of a specific dream. She posted about it with genuine emotion, framing the opportunity not just as a career milestone but as a chance to represent her country on one of fashion's biggest stages.
The casting process itself is notoriously rigorous. Models must clear multiple rounds before earning a spot in the annual show. The auditions took place in Miami and New York, the two cities where Victoria's Secret holds its major selection events. When Vértiz's footage circulated—shared by social media personalities like TikToker Ric La Torre—the response was immediate and overwhelmingly positive. Viewers and fashion commentators alike praised her naturalness, her bearing, the way she carried herself with composure under the bright lights and the scrutiny of the judges. There was something about the bare-faced authenticity that resonated. She looked like herself, and that seemed to be exactly what they wanted to see.
Vértiz has been clear about what this moment means to her. She has spoken about the audition as a personal and professional dream realized, and she has used her platform to encourage other women to pursue their ambitions without compromising their sense of self. In her telling, this isn't just about becoming a Victoria's Secret Angel—it's about doing it on her own terms, with her own face.
She is not alone in this moment. Luciana Fuster, who holds the title of Miss Grand International 2023, also advanced to the in-person casting. Fuster, another Peruvian model, cleared the initial screening and received her own invitation to audition. She documented parts of her experience on social media, sharing her nervousness and excitement, and revealing that supermodel Gigi Hadid was present during the judging. Fuster posted afterward that regardless of the final outcome, she was already grateful to have stood on that stage.
Both women are now waiting for the official results. The selection process will take weeks, possibly months. But their participation in these castings has already registered as something larger than two individual auditions. In an industry where Latin American representation at the highest levels remains limited, two Peruvian models advancing to the final rounds of one of fashion's most visible global events carries symbolic weight. It signals a shift, however incremental, in who gets to be seen on those runways.
For now, Vértiz and Fuster are receiving congratulations and encouragement from their followers. The conversation online has moved beyond whether they will be selected to a broader recognition that they have already accomplished something significant simply by being there, by being taken seriously, by being invited to compete at this level. The final decision rests with Victoria's Secret, but the moment itself—two Peruvian women in Miami and New York, walking without apology, being watched and considered—belongs to them.
Citações Notáveis
A step closer. Whatever happens, I'm already more than happy to have been on that stage.— Luciana Fuster, in a social media post about her audition
Her objective is to inspire more women to pursue their goals without abandoning authenticity and self-love.— Natalie Vértiz, describing her vision in social media posts
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
Why did Vértiz choose to walk without makeup when so many models would have used it as armor?
She didn't frame it as a choice, exactly—it was more like a statement. In her telling, the authenticity mattered more than the polish. She was saying: this is who I am, and it's enough.
Did that actually work? Did the judges respond to it?
The videos suggest they did. The social media reaction was almost uniformly positive, which in that world is its own kind of validation. People saw her and saw confidence, not vulnerability.
What does it mean that two Peruvian models made it to the same casting round?
It's not coincidence. It signals that Victoria's Secret is looking beyond the traditional centers of modeling, that Latin American women are being taken seriously at the highest level. That's new enough to matter.
But they haven't been selected yet. Isn't it premature to call this a victory?
The selection hasn't happened, that's true. But the audition itself—being invited, being considered, being seen—that's already a kind of victory. It changes what's possible for the next generation of models watching from Peru.
Fuster mentioned Gigi Hadid was there. Does that change anything?
It adds weight to the moment. It means the judging was serious, that major figures in the industry were paying attention. For Fuster, documenting that presence was a way of saying: this was real, this mattered, I was there.