TORONTO — A trio of Victoria’s Secret Angels landed north of the border to help establish the famed lingerie retailer in Canada.
Supermodels Erin Heatherton, Chanel Iman and Adriana Lima attended the ribbon-cutting Wednesday of Toronto’s first Victoria’s Secret store.
The women were on hand for the opening of the retailer’s newest location at Yorkdale Shopping Centre.
The store opened to the public Thursday.
Lima used an oversized pair of glittery, pink scissors to slice the pink sash while Heatherton and Iman held onto either end.
Each was clad in white T-shirts emblazoned in pink with “Victoria’s Secret Loves Canada” on the front and “The Angels Have Landed” on the back, adorned with the signature wings framing a Maple Leaf.
Curious onlookers tried to peer above and around the crush of cameras and media to sneak a peek at the photogenic trio.
Several men pulled out cameras and phones and strained to snap photos of the Angels striking a pose.
Victoria’s Secret officially kicked off its Canadian launch earlier this month in Alberta, opening its first location at West Edmonton Mall.
The retailer plans to have a total of four stores in Canada before the end of this year.
The Square One location in Mississauga, Ont., west of Toronto, is slated to open Sept. 10, followed by the Toronto Eaton Centre location in late October.
While Victoria’s Secret sells a wide range of women’s apparel and accessories, including fragrances, clothing, footwear and swimwear, it has become synonymous and perhaps best known for its barely-there lingerie items.
Its high-profile fashion show has also featured some of fashion’s famous faces.
Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bundchen and Heidi Klum are among the supermodels past and present enlisted as Angel ambassadors for the brand who’ve donned the famed wings — and little else — on the catwalk.
Lima, 29, said it had been her longtime dream to work with the company, and she’s sbeen with them for 10 years.
She credits the high-profile visibility of being associated with the famous brand for helping to give her career a boost.
“They have such big exposure worldwide,” said the Brazilian beauty and new mom to nine-month-old daughter, Valentina.
“Even though this is the first time they’re opening a store internationally, and still, they have all this exposure.”
“After I started working with them, it really helped my career a lot and my name is known in the world thanks to them.”
Lima also said it’s an “honour” to wear the signature wings, which vary in size and shape from small-scale to grandiose creations including butterfly, peacock and devil wings.
“You’d be surprised. They’re really careful,” she said when asked about what the wings feel like to wear.
“It’s important for them that we feel comfortable so they work many, many hours and many days to make sure everything fits and everything is comfortable for us.”
Victoria’s Secret is owned by parent company Limited Brands, which also operates Bath and Body Works and Canadian lingerie chain La Senza.
In April, Limited Brands announced plans to move 50 creative and merchandising jobs from Montreal to its main office in Ohio.
The move came as the company announced the creation of Limited Brands Canada, intended to bring the administration of its La Senza, Bath and Body Works, Victoria’s Secret and Victoria’s Secret Pink brands under one umbrella in Canada.