Back in October, veteran angel Jasmine Tookes opened the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. But, it wasn’t just her silky, sexy hair our jaws were dropped for. It was also her Brunel-slugged baby bump we couldn’t keep our eyes off of. And, in that moment, the mother of two made Victoria’s Secret history as the first-ever pregnant woman to open the show.
At nine months pregnant, “[it] was one of the most special moments of my life,” Tookes tells ESSENCE exclusively. “I still get emotional thinking about it.” Less than two weeks after the show, her son and second child, Mateo Ira Borrero was born. Now, at almost 6 months old, the catwalk baby is back with his post-birth Victoria’s Secret debut.
In Victoria’s Secret’s new Mother’s Day campaign, “Modeled After Mom”, Tookes is captured along with her two children, Mateo and 2-year-old daughter Mia Victoria. “VS has been such a big part of my career, so being able to do this campaign with my kids feels really special,” she says, calling the concept sweet and personal. “My daughter and son inspire me every day, and I love that we’ll have these photos to look back on together one day.”
In the campaign, she’s playing with her children in a baby blue room wearing pajama sets comfortable enough to roll on the carpet in. “As a mom of two, I don’t always have a lot of time to get ready, so I like things that are easy but still make me feel confident,” she says about her motherhood style. Describing it as modern and simple, the pieces Tookes wears are all about wearing less, but in more ways than one.
“I want to be comfortable but still feel polished and like myself—whether I’m running around during the day or heading out to dinner,” she says. For everyday errands, it’s the SoSoft™ Modal Ultra-Fine Tee she throws on. Then, as day turns to night, the Satin Midi Slip Dress is perfectly easy. “The Modal Long Pajama Set is also a favorite—it’s so comfortable for being at home with my kids,” she says, which was one of the sets she wore in the campaign layered over a white-laced bra.
But, there was one other maternal face in the campaign: her mother, Carol Robinson. Modeled after her mother, Tookes’ black set matched Robinson, who had on a classic pink striped version of the look. “My mom has always been my biggest supporter,” Tookes says, which is who she modeled confidence from. “Both my mom and my grandmother are such strong women, and I’ve learned so much from them about showing up for your family while still staying true to yourself.”
Those same lessons are ones Tookes is making generational with her two children. “I want my kids to know they can do anything they set their minds to,” she says. “If you told 14-year-old me—the girl who had all the VS Angels on her school binder—that I’d walk the show nine times, let alone open it while pregnant, I wouldn’t have believed you.” A year later she was discovered and, by 21, she made her very first VS debut. Like herself, “I hope they grow up feeling confident in who they are and aren’t afraid to go after big dreams.”
But, part of being a mother means taking care of yourself just as much as you nurture your children’s sense of self (especially this Mother’s Day). You can’t pour from an empty cup. So, to help fill hers, making time for Pilates, strength training, and small daily routines, like morning tea, smoothies, or just a quiet moment of to reset, are the little things she says go a long way. “It helps me show up better for my kids.”
When asked about advice for new moms? “There’s no perfect way to do it,” she says. “The most important thing is to give yourself grace and enjoy the moment as much as you can.”
