Sara Sampaio 'Couldn't Believe It' When She Got Her Angel Wings
Portuguese supermodel Sara Sampaio tells FNM about the moment she found out she was one of Victoria's Secret's newest Angels.
Sara Sampaio is proudly soaking up the sun during the sizzling summer season.
The Victoria’s Secret Angel has been giving fans a sneak peek of her vacation abroad on Instagram, where she recently unveiled her enviable runway-ready figure.
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In one snap, the model rocked a halter red bikini while she posed for a sultry sunset shot poolside. The Portuguese star simply captioned the photo with two sailboat emojis.
In other photos, the 27-year-old wore a pale bikini and proudly beamed as she enjoyed a dip in crystal clear waters.
“Nothing makes me happier than swimming in the ocean,” shared Sampaio.
In a photo uploaded on Monday, Sampaio noted she was in sunny Capri, Italy, alongside her boyfriend, CEO Oliver Ripley. The pair have reportedly been together since 2015.
In 2018, Sampaio told Harper’s Bazaar that while she works out five times a way to stay in shape, she insisted the pressure to look and feel good comes from her, not Victoria’s Secret.
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“It is a lot of pressure, but not from [Victoria’s Secret] — I put that pressure on myself,” she explained. “You are constantly in lingerie; your body is constantly on show. You just want to look your best.”
Sampaio also defended Victoria’s Secret, which has received criticism over the years due to its runway shows highlighting women in lingerie while wearing wings.
“Victoria’s Secret is not geared towards men — we are selling lingerie to women,” she pointed out. “We are selling a dream. Everyone wants to feel sexy.”
And while Sampaio's famous features are heaven-sent, she shared that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is key.
“My workouts are usually a couple of hours long, and I work out around four to five times a week, depending on how my body feels and my schedule,” Sampaio told Byrdie back in 2017. “Sometimes I’m working out intensely, so I will take some time off because resting is just as important as working out.”
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Sampaio said that in addition to working out with a personal trainer, she also takes on Pilates, resistance training for cardio, as well as ankle weights for toning.
“I try to keep a balanced diet all year long, but I do love bread, pasta, and all Mediterranean kinds of food,” Sampaio admitted. “But right before the show, I eat less of those as well as processed carbs. I’ll eat more protein, veggies and fruits.”
Sampaio first embarked on her modeling career at age 16, when she won a contest in Portugal. The prize was a contract with an agency. Sampaio started off modeling part-time as her parents insisted she finished high school. After completing her studies, Sampaio soon became in-demand, ultimately earning her wings for Victoria’s Secret.
“I remember the conversation clearly in my head,” Sampaio recalled to Fox News back in 2016 about becoming an Angel for the lingerie brand. “My agent called me and was like, ‘Have you heard?’ I said, ‘Have I heard what?’ And he’s like, ‘No one told you?’ … Victoria’s Secret wants you to be an Angel.’ … I couldn’t believe it. Things didn’t become real until the announcement. … The moment the word was out, all of it started sinking in. I was actually one of the new Angels. It’s pretty surreal.”
When it came to her coveted curves, Sampaio insisted it’s all in a day’s work.
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“Well, it’s part of my job,” she shared. “Like a boxer has to train every day to be in the best shape. My body is my tool of work so I have to keep it in shape all year because that’s what my job asks [of] me. I can pretty much eat everything that I want. But I do work out. It’s good for you. Also, I do have to build up muscle and I have to be toned. I try to do several things. I get very bored if I do the same thing over and over. Every time I’m near a beach, I try to surf or go for a hike.”
“I’m not very careful about things that I eat,” she admitted. “Sometimes I break out a little bit. I try to force myself to drink a lot of water because there’s no other trick that works better than water.”
But despite Sampaio’s approach to fitness, she does have guilty food pleasures like anyone else.
“I love pizza,” she said. “Italian food – pasta, pizza, bread – I love it. I was raised in Portugal so we have a super Mediterranean type of food. We eat a lot of rice, pasta, meat, fish. But my favorite is definitely pizza. I would eat it every day if I could.”
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