Bella Hadid’s return to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show became a viral talking point, not for the glamour, but for the sheer weight of her prop wings.
The 29-year-old model revealed after the October 15 event that her Angel wings weighed a staggering 50 pounds, leaving fans stunned and concerned for her wellbeing.
“Ok, we’re not going to pretend these wings weren’t 50 pounds but how beautiful,” Hadid wrote on Instagram after the show in New York.
Highlights
- Bella Hadid revealed her Victoria’s Secret Angel wings weighed 50 pounds, shocking fans.
- The model’s comeback came just one month after being hospitalized for Lyme disease.
- Viewers called the decision “insane,” with some going as far as to call the wings “an attempt on her life.”
Those worries weren’t unfounded. The supermodel’s return came just one month after she was hospitalized for Lyme disease, a form of arthritis caused by bacteria.
Fans of Bella Hadid are worried for her health after she walked the runway wearing 50-pound wings while suffering from Lyme disease
Image credits: Instagram/bellahadid
For millions of fans, the realization that Hadid carried more than half her own body weight on the runway caused outrage and disbelief.
“This was an attempt on her life. That’s probably more than half her weight,” one user wrote, echoing thousands of similar reactions across social media.
Image credits: Getty/TheStewartofNY
Another viewer compared the ordeal to hauling luggage: “That’s a large holiday suitcase!”
“Whoever handed her that needs to be investigated immediately. That’s a weapon, not a prop,” a user joked.
But beneath the humor, the tone was one of genuine concern. Many pointed out that Hadid’s walk, though graceful, showed visible strain.
“Real. She looked like she was about to fall over when she was walking back,” one fan said.
For a model who only weeks earlier had been in a hospital bed, the weighty props appeared to some like an act of disregard.
Lyme disease attacks the body’s connective tissue, resulting in inflammation and pain
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Hadid’s appearance marked her first Victoria’s Secret runway since sharing a concerning health update in September. She had revealed through social media that she had been hospitalized for Lyme disease, a chronic illness she has battled for years.
Image credits: Getty/TheStewartofNY
Her mother, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Yolanda Hadid, shared a public message describing the emotional toll of watching her daughter suffer:
“As you will understand, watching my Bella struggle in silence has cut the deepest core of hopelessness inside me.”
Image credits: Instagram/yolanda.hadid
Lyme disease is a tick-borne bacterial infection that causes fever, fatigue, and can invade the nervous system and joints.
The bacteria, which also attacked Justin Timberlake, triggers an inflammatory response in the body’s connective tissue, which leads to swelling and sharp pain that can persist or flare up even after treatment.
Image credits: Getty/Gilbert Flores
This phenomenon, known as Lyme arthritis, is particularly difficult to manage for a busy model like Hadid.
As a result, many saw her usage of 50-pound wings as a symbol of how the fashion industry often pushes its stars past reasonable limits.
Hadid’s fans praised her work ethic, but expressed anger at the show’s organizers for making her wear the wings
“She carried 50 pounds of art like it was nothing,” one fan wrote. “She’s that girl.”
“She shouldn’t have been asked to do that. She’s still recovering,” another argued.
“27kg?! Those wings weren’t props, they were resistance training. She deserves a medal just for walking in them,” a third stated.
Image credits: Instagram/bellahadid
Despite it all, Hadid carried the moment with composure. She wore a silver lace ensemble adorned with a fringe that shimmered under the stage lights, followed by a fiery red set for Karol G’s performance.
Image credits: Instagram/bellahadid
Hadid was joined by her sister Gigi, along with Adriana Lima, Ashley Graham, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, and Behati Prinsloo.
The show was labeled a “return to form for Victoria’s Secret” as it tries to reclaim the style of its pre-2019 shows.
Image credits: Victoria's Secret
Hairstylist Jacob Schwartz also said her blonde look was “early-2000s inspired,” and achieved through a partnership with hair treatment brand Olaplex to create what he called “a richer, more polished tone for the runway.”
In the end, Hadid’s return left her fans with a strange combination of admiration for her work ethic, concern for her health, and criticism toward Victoria Secret.
"Really heavy." Netizens wondered why Hadid, out of all models, had to be the one wearing the wings
