Suni Lee Sticks the Landing Again Amid Critics of Her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Debut
Suni Lee is shutting down the critics after making history as one of the first professional athletes to walk the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show reboot. The six-time Olympic medalist, 22, took to TikTok over the weekend to address trolls who mocked her height and questioned her casting in the lingerie giant’s iconic show.
In a cheeky video set to Ariana Grande’s hit “successful,” Lee lip-syncs the lyrics:
“It feels so good to be so young / And have this fun and be successful, yeah / I’m so successful,”
while posing in front of a mirror, her hair blown out and makeup expertly done. The video was captioned: “Can u guys stop bullying me.”
Lee made history on October 15 during the show’s Brooklyn waterfront spectacular, strutting her stuff in a sporty Pink ensemble complete with miniature angel wings sewn onto her pink zip-up hoodie. Her appearance marked a special moment, blending athleticism with high fashion in a bold, new way.
However, her spotlight moment was quickly met with backlash from a handful of keyboard warriors who targeted her 5-foot stature and questioned whether athletes belong on fashion runways alongside “real models.”
In defense of Lee, one fan clapped back: “they’re mad jealous because a 5 foot badie [sic] got to be a VS model,” while another added: “were any of the haters on the runway? didn’t think so.”
The controversy escalated when professional model Avary Hutzelman sparked debate with a viral TikTok rant, comparing Lee’s casting to “letting a model play in the WNBA championship” and criticizing what she called “inclusivity bullsh*t.”
But Lee’s supporters stood firmly by her side. One commenter wrote, “girl i got your back. why are people bullying you because of your height💔like u cant control that bro😭🙏,” to which Lee responded, “Like, literally.”
Another fan offered a thoughtful perspective on the show’s strategy:
“I’m so tired of the ‘omg we want ACTUAL models not athletes and influencers,’” they wrote.
“Notice how they modeled for PINK. Because PINK is catered to teens, teens are in sports and look up to girls like Suni and Angel, teens are on social media and love influencers like Quen.”
Indeed, Lee walked alongside fellow athlete Angel Reese of the WNBA and popular influencer Quenlin Blackwell in the Pink segment, highlighting a new era of diversity and representation on the Victoria’s Secret runway.
Suni Lee’s confident performance and positive spin on the backlash prove that she’s not only a champion in gymnastics but also a formidable presence in the fashion world.
https://pagesix.com/2025/10/21/style/suni-lee-claps-back-at-victorias-secret-fashion-show-critics-stop-bullying-me/