The return of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2025 was a glittering spectacle, a carefully orchestrated symphony of nostalgia and new beginnings. The runway shimmered with familiar faces, most notably the triumphant return of supermodel sisters Gigi and Bella Hadid, their confident strides signaling a new chapter for the iconic brand. Yet, amidst the reunion and revelry, a conspicuous silence echoed from one empty spot on the catwalk. The absence of Kendall Jenner—a former staple of the show and a titan of the industry—was not just noted; it was felt. It posed a question that rippled through the fashion world: Why did one of the planet's most sought-after models choose to sit this one out?
This wasn't an unforeseen blip. Jenner also missed the brand's 2024 revival, with her last appearance in the angel wings dating back to the pre-pandemic era of 2019. Her non-participation this year, especially as her closest peers returned to the fold, transforms her absence from a potential scheduling conflict into what appears to be a deliberate, definitive statement. While Jenner herself has maintained a public silence on the matter, the breadcrumbs of her recent interviews and business activities paint a vivid picture—one of a woman consciously pivoting away from the runway that defined her early career and toward a future she is designing, quite literally, for herself.
To understand her choice is to look beyond the glitter and grasp the complex calculus of a modern mogul's life, where personal well-being, entrepreneurial ambition, and new creative passions are now weighing heavier than the most coveted pair of angel wings.
A Conspicuous Silence on a Star-Studded Runway
In the high-stakes theater of the fashion industry, an absence can be as loud as an entrance. Kendall Jenner’s non-appearance at the 2025 Victoria’s Secret show was a masterclass in this principle. For years, she was an integral part of the brand’s image, her presence a powerful draw for a generation raised on social media. Her seamless blend of high-fashion credibility and mainstream celebrity made her a perfect ambassador for a brand attempting to bridge its legacy with contemporary culture.
Her decision to forgo the event becomes even more pronounced when set against the backdrop of the Hadid sisters' return. Their participation was a major news story, a symbol of reconciliation and renewed energy for the brand. That Jenner, their close friend and contemporary, was not by their side created a narrative vacuum that industry observers have been quick to fill with speculation. It suggests a divergence in career paths among the holy trinity of millennial supermodels. While some are re-engaging with legacy institutions, Jenner appears to be forging a path that is uniquely her own, unmoored from the industry's traditional expectations.
The pattern is undeniable. Missing both the 2024 and 2025 shows indicates this is not a momentary decision but a sustained shift. It signals a quiet but firm departure from a specific kind of modeling spectacle—one that demands a singular, intense focus that may no longer align with her evolving priorities.
The Pivot: From Supermodel to Design Mogul?
Perhaps the most compelling clue to Jenner’s mindset lies not in what she did, but in what she said. In a recent, candid interview, she dropped a line that was less a casual remark and more a declaration of intent: "I swear to God, I'm going to stop everything and just design homes." This wasn't the sound of a model discussing a hobby; it was the sound of a creative spirit articulating a new, all-consuming passion.
This statement reveals a significant career shift brewing beneath the surface. For Jenner, the world of interior design is not a fleeting interest but a potential new frontier. The fashion industry, for all its glamour, operates on relentless cycles and external validation. Designing a home, by contrast, is an act of creating permanence, of shaping an environment from the ground up. It offers a different kind of creative control and a legacy that extends beyond a photograph or a runway walk.
This burgeoning focus on a new career provides a logical framework for her absence. Preparing for the Victoria’s Secret show is a famously grueling process, demanding months of physical and mental dedication. For a woman contemplating a pivot into an entirely different industry, dedicating that immense energy to the runway may no longer be the most strategic or fulfilling use of her time. She is looking at a bigger picture, one where she is the architect of her own world, not just a muse within someone else's.
The Unseen Pressure of the Angel Wings
Beyond the strategic career moves and burgeoning passions lies a deeply personal and relatable reason for Jenner's decision: the immense pressure of the spotlight. Jenner has been remarkably open about her struggles with anxiety, particularly the pre-show nerves that can accompany high-profile runway events. This vulnerability offers a crucial layer of context to her choice.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is not just another runway. It is a global phenomenon, broadcast to millions and scrutinized with an intensity that few other fashion events can match. The pressure to project an image of effortless confidence and physical perfection is astronomical. For someone who has openly discussed the mental toll of such expectations, stepping back is not a sign of weakness but an act of profound self-awareness and strength. It is a conscious decision to prioritize mental well-being over professional obligation.
In an era where conversations around mental health are becoming increasingly destigmatized, Jenner’s choice can be seen as an empowered one. She is refusing to sacrifice her inner peace for external validation, setting a powerful example for a generation that is increasingly rejecting the "grind at all costs" mentality. Her absence sends a message that success can and should be defined on one's own terms, and that sometimes the most powerful move is to choose tranquility over the thunderous applause.
The Business of Being Kendall: The 818 Empire
If her design ambitions represent her creative future and her focus on well-being represents her personal priorities, then her actions around the time of the show reveal her present-day business acumen. While the fashion world gathered for the VS spectacle, Kendall Jenner was last spotted in Texas. She wasn't on vacation; she was working, actively promoting 818 Tequila, the award-winning brand she founded.
This is perhaps the most telling detail of all. Her physical location at an event for her own company speaks volumes about where her focus lies. She is no longer just a model who endorses products; she is a founder, an entrepreneur building an empire. The success of 818 Tequila rests squarely on her shoulders, requiring her direct involvement, strategic thinking, and personal presence. Choosing to invest her time in a brand she owns over walking for a brand she represents is a classic power move.
This decision marks a critical evolution in her career. She is transitioning from being an asset in someone else's portfolio to being the primary stakeholder in her own. Building a CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) brand like 818 requires a long-term vision and hands-on dedication that a modeling career, with its transient gigs, doesn't always accommodate. Her choice wasn't between one job and another; it was between building someone else's legacy and cementing her own.
A New Era Beyond the Runway
Kendall Jenner's empty spot on the Victoria's Secret runway was not a void, but a space filled with meaning. It told a story of evolution—of a supermodel becoming a businesswoman, of a public figure prioritizing her private well-being, and of a creative force finding new canvases for her vision.
While surprising to some, her absence is the logical conclusion of her trajectory over the past few years. It's a reflection of a carefully considered recalibration of her life and career. The three core reasons—her burgeoning passion for design, her commitment to managing her mental health, and the demanding reality of running her own burgeoning empire—are not separate excuses but interconnected facets of a single, coherent strategy. Kendall Jenner is playing the long game. The girl who once walked the runway is now busy building the world she wants to live in, and for now, that world is unfolding far beyond the glittery confines of the catwalk.
