For Ravleen Varghese, the journey to the Victoria’s Secret runway began not with a childhood dream of becoming a supermodel, but with uncertainty about whether she belonged in the fashion industry at all.

The 25-year-old from Kodumon, a village in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district, debuted at the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles on October 18.

She walked the runway twice, sharing the international stage with established fashion names. Yet behind the high-profile appearance lies a career shaped by an unexpected opportunity and a gradual shift in how she saw herself.

Anima Creative Management discovered Varghese when she was around 18 and had moved to Delhi to pursue design studies at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).

Modelling, however, was not a career she had confidently imagined for herself.

In an interview with The Nod, Varghese spoke about turning down several agencies early in her journey because she didn't believe she could find a place for herself in the industry.

It was only when she encountered people who recognised her potential that her outlook began to change.

That hesitation offers a revealing counterpoint to the confidence associated with international runway modelling.

The industry often presents its most visible moments as effortless displays of glamour, but Varghese's account suggests that finding the confidence to enter that world can be a challenge in itself.

Her subsequent career has taken her beyond the Indian fashion circuit. She has worked with international labels including Dior and Loewe, appeared in fashion publications and participated in major fashion events. Her New York Fashion Week experience helped establish her presence in an industry where visibility and professional opportunities are fiercely contested.

The Victoria’s Secret appearance now adds another significant milestone to that journey.

Rather than an overnight breakthrough, it marks the latest stage in a career built on opportunities, professional experience, and a willingness to enter a space she once found hard to imagine herself in.

There is also a distinctly personal element to the way Varghese prepares for work. In an interview reported by DesiBlitz, she described beginning her day by playing her favourite Malayalam songs and dancing through her skincare routine.

This small but telling detail shows how she stays connected to familiar comforts while working in an international environment.

Her story also broadens the conversation about representation in global fashion.

A model from a village in Kerala has reached a runway watched by audiences around the world, bringing attention to a journey that began far from the industry's traditional centres of influence.

For aspiring models, Varghese's experience offers a lesson beyond the spectacle of a major fashion show. Talent can open a door, but recognising one's own potential may take considerably longer.

Her Victoria’s Secret debut is the headline achievement. The more compelling story is how she moved from believing that the industry might not have a place for her to standing confidently on one of its most visible stages.