Fil-Am to strut catwalk in Victoria’s Secret lingerie

For the first time in 23 years, a Filipino-American model will strut the fashion runway wearing Victoria’s Secret lingerie and sleepwear later this year.

Kelsey Merritt who hails from Pampanga is a communications arts graduate of Ateneo de Manila

University in Quezon City. She is now in the US to pursue her modeling career.

"I’m freaking out. Somebody wake me up from the best dream ever," said the 21-year-old fashion model on Twitter.

Congratulatory messages flooded the social media as soon as Merritt confirmed on Instagram her joining the Victoria's Secret fashion show later this year.

"WE DID IT PHILIPPINES !!!!!! I’m walking in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2018!!! Ahhhhhh I can’t believe this!! Thank you soooo much @johndavidpfeiffer, @monica.mitro, @10magazine, and Ed Razek for making my dream come true!!," posted Merritt.

"But most of all thank you to all my followers you guys are my rock!!! I couldn’t have done this without you guys. Thank you for your never ending support I LOVE Y’ALL!!!"

Prior to this, she posted call back photos from the "VS" audition on Instagram.

The annual fashion extravaganza has been the stepping stone for some of the biggest fashion models in the world. Some of the previous and present "VS" models include Adriana Lima, Tyra Banks, Alessandra Ambrosio, Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Miranda Kerr, Taylor Hill, Jasmine Tookes, Lily Aldridge, Liu Wen, etc.

Nine of the models who appeared in 2015 fashion show appeared on Forbes’ list of the world’s 20 highest-paid models in 2016. Aside from being a "VS" Angel, the models become brand ambassadors of popular brands in the world.

Merritt is expected to strut all the way to the bank with a six-digit salary.

In 2017, the highest-paid Victoria's Secret model was Brazilian Adriana Lima who earned $10.5 million (roughly P525 million) in 2016.

In 2016, beauty queen-turned-fashion model Janine Tugonon auditioned for Victoria's Secret Fashion Show but failed to make the final round of the popular lingerie runway extravaganza.

She made it to the second round of the callbacks with 29 other fashion models.

The Miss Universe 2013 first runnerup earlier made waves as a fashion model abroad when she became the first Filipino to be featured in a commercial for Victoria Secrets Pink, which caters to female college students ages 13 to 22.

In 2017, global net sales of Victoria's Secret amounted to about US$7.39 billion.