When it comes to getting in shape for the Victoria's Secret fashion show, angels such as Doutzen Kroes and Lily Aldridge turn to one person – professional ballerina Mary Helen Bowers. The founder of Ballet Beautiful spoke exclusively with HELLO! Fashion and revealed how the angels train ahead of the world famous runway show.
"The whole world is watching this show, so the girls train like athletes leading up to this day," she revealed. "It's the biggest fashion show of the year – they're out there wearing the sexiest lingerie and you can literally see every muscle in their body."
"Their appearance is aspirational, because that's what angels are," she added. "They're the example of the sexiest, most beautiful and most incredible bodies in the world." Mary also revealed that supermodel Doutzen was keen to get in shape in a healthy way, after giving birth to her and husband Sunnery James' second child in July. "They're all such amazing athletes, but Doutzen had a baby and she is in incredible shape," said Mary. "She's such an athlete in my mind."
The American born trainer revealed that while the models stay in shape all year round, every year they up their fitness game as the show draws nearer. "They are shooting all the time so they always work out, but this is way more intense," she said, adding that Doutzen and Lily had trained with her the night before the show. "The last week or two is when it's most intense and we're doing one or two hours up to six days a week." Mary also told us that despite attending some of the world's most glamorous parties and travelling the world, the angels are careful to maintain a healthy diet.
"They're training so hard that it's about finding that balance," she said. "Making sure they're getting enough protein and calories, that they sustain their training so they look and feel their best." "It's definitely not about dieting, it's about being healthy and being strong so they're at their most sexy on that stage." "A lot of them don't drink any alcohol leading up to the event," she admitted. "They keep it super healthy, sleeping a lot, getting facials and working out."
