LINGERIE IN THE LIMELIGHT
Victoria’s Secret Angel aims to inspire
Jasmine Tookes was a far cry from “Angel” status when she first visited Vancouver 12 years ago.
The 27-year-old model recalls that she was in town for her first job with the American retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, but she never imagined she’d be back here in a role as ambassador for the lingerie mega-brand Victoria’s Secret.
And, more than an ambassador, Tookes is a bona fide Angel.
“The last time I was here was 12 years ago, it was for my first job ever,” she recalls with a smile. “It was crazy.”
When asked if her 15-year-old self would be surprised to see where she’s at now in her career, she was candid and openly appreciative of how far she’s come in the industry.
“No!” she says emphatically of imagining her current status. “Yesterday, I was saying to my mom that, the last time I was here, I was thinking I would love to be a Victoria’s Secret model. And now, I’m here, with Victoria’s Secret. “It’s really cool.”
Back in Vancouver to help the brand celebrate its Body by Victoria collection, as well as to promote the in-store bra-fitting services offered at Victoria’s Secret stores, Tookes discussed the unique position of visibility her role as a lingerie and bikini-clad VS Angel has provided her.
And it’s not from the fan base some people might think.
Outside the flagship downtown store on the day of her visit, fans filed through a winding lineup marked by retractable stanchions waiting for an opportunity to meet, greet and snap a selfie with Tookes.
“It’s amazing because Victoria’s Secret has some diehard fans. And they’re always so cute and really happy to meet you,” she says. “They always love all of the product and I think every time in the store they get even more excited.”
Perhaps surprisingly to some, the majority of those waiting in the lineup were women and young girls.
“It’s pretty crazy, actually, because so many young girls look up to you,” Tookes says of her fans. “And, I remember, when I was growing up, I looked up to all the previous Angels in the past.”
For Tookes, the stunning supermodels of years past, many of whom she can now call her peers, represented far more than merely stunning models dressed in sexy garments. “They stood as such icons as such strong, beautiful women,” she says.
And now, she’s proud to parlay that same level of strength to other women and girls, including her younger sister Chloe Danielle, who is, herself, an up-and-coming model. “I want them to aspire to be strong and healthy and confident in themselves,” she says.
In order to further connect with her fans, Tookes documents her day-to-day life — including time in her home state of California, her experiences on set, her glamorous travels and more than a few equally attractive selfies — for her nearly three million followers on her Instagram account @jastookes.
She says she uses the social media platform to share her life, and a bit of herself, with those who look up to her.
“I’ve always been pretty open with my fans, with everything on social media,” she says. “I honestly like to just have fun with it. I like for them to get to know my personality. And I don’t want to come off as being intimidating or anything.”
Unlike some celebrities, who shudder at the idea of fans approaching them in public, Tookes is surprisingly open to the idea.
“When people see me on the street, I want them to be able to approach me,” she says. “I try to be very approachable.”
It’s all part of her plan to ensure her image is one of friendly approachability, yes, but more importantly, positivity.
“I try to be just really positive all the time,” she says with another bright smile. “So, I’m always smiling on my page, which I think is really positive and nice to see because I feel like so many people have such serious accounts.
“... I think it’s good to keep it light and fun.”
Tookes points to her mom as the inspiration for her upbeat approach.
“She’s always been really positive — the most positive person in my life,” she says. “She’s always taught me to embrace every moment, to be happy for what you have and to just keep going.”
When asked what she hopes people — her fans, her family and her fellow models — will be able to say about her after another 12 (or more) years of modelling go by, Tookes was quick to respond, leading one to believe that this is something she’s thought long and hard about already.
“I want them to say that I was a very positive figure in their lives. And that I just kept it classy,” she says, turning slightly more serious than her usual bubbly demeanour. “I always look back at Tyra Banks, and all of those other girls, and they’ve always remained these beautiful icons that kept it classy and are beautiful.
“There’s just something about them.”
And, sitting with this particular Angel on a pink, velvet-clad bench in the back fitting room of the Victoria’s Secret store in Vancouver, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that, well, Jasmine Tookes has that certain “something” about her, too.