The Victoria’s Secret Effect: Inside Tom Brady’s High-Profile Romances, Supermodel Liaisons, and Hollywood Drama

By Kiki Oktaviani | Wolipop
Published: October 26, 2026, 10:00 PM WIB

Main Facts: The Legend, The Lingerie, and The Latest Romance

JAKARTA — To say that Tom Brady has a penchant for the world’s most elite runways would be an understatement. Long celebrated as the undisputed "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) of the National Football League (NFL), Brady’s romantic life off the gridiron has continually captured the global imagination. Over the past two decades, the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s name has been consistently linked to a dazzling roster of high-fashion royalty, most notably the iconic "Angels" of Victoria’s Secret.

From his decade-plus marriage to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen to subsequent high-profile romances with Irina Shayk, and most recently, South African stunner Candice Swanepoel, Brady’s dating history reads like a retrospective of twentieth-century haute couture. However, what began as a series of glittering tabloid headlines has recently morphed into high-stakes drama. Rumors of a blossoming relationship between Brady and Swanepoel in 2026 have reportedly ignited a bitter feud within elite modeling circles, pulling top-tier names like Joan Smalls into a web of broken friendships, cryptic social media call-outs, and alleged betrayals.

This comprehensive report delves into the intricate web of Brady’s relationships with the world’s premier supermodels, tracing the timeline of his romantic evolution, the collateral damage of post-divorce dating, and the sensational fallout shaking the fashion industry.

Chronology of Romances: A Timeline of Supermodel Liaisons

To understand the current friction consuming the modeling world, one must examine the chronological progression of Tom Brady’s romantic chapters following his transition from professional sports icon to global media mogul.

2006–2022: The Gisele Era and the Golden Standard

The cornerstone of Tom Brady’s romantic history remains his monumental relationship with Gisele Bündchen. The pair were introduced by a mutual friend in 2006, sparking a romance that quickly became the gold standard for celebrity power couples. After three years of dating, Brady and Bündchen married in an intimate ceremony in February 2009.

During their 13-year marriage, the couple welcomed two children: a son, Benjamin Rein, born on December 8, 2009, and a daughter, Vivian Lake, born on December 5, 2012. For more than a decade, they were viewed as an unbreakable unit, balancing Brady’s grueling NFL career with Bündchen’s reigning status as the world’s highest-paid model.

However, cracks in the foundation eventually led to an amicable yet seismic separation. In October 2022, Brady and Bündchen officially announced their divorce, sending shockwaves through both sports and entertainment industries. For Bündchen, her association with Victoria’s Secret is nothing short of legendary. She walked the brand’s runway seven times and officially earned her wings as a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2000, cementing an era of sex appeal that defined the early 2000s fashion landscape.

2023: The Irina Shayk Interlude

Following his retirement from the NFL and his high-profile divorce, Brady wasted little time returning to the dating pool. By July 2023, rumors swirled that the former quarterback was courting Russian supermodel Irina Shayk. Paparazzi captured the pair sharing intimate moments during weekend getaways, with reports surfacing that Shayk had spent the night at Brady’s residence.

Despite the initial media frenzy, the romance proved to be a whirlwind rather than a marathon. Sources close to the couple reported that the relationship fizzled out after roughly four months due to conflicting schedules and differing life priorities. Though fleeting, the liaison added another Victoria’s Secret-adjacent name to Brady’s portfolio; Shayk had walked in four Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows, though she never officially held the title of Angel.

2026: The Candice Swanepoel Chapter and the Fallout

Entering 2026, Brady’s romantic compass pointed toward yet another legendary figure from the lingerie giant’s history: Candice Swanepoel. According to reports by Us Weekly, Brady and the South African supermodel had quietly been linked for some time, with their paths crossing within elite social circles.

Swanepoel, a veteran of the runway, boasts an impressive 14 appearances in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and secured her official Angel status in 2010. While the romance with Brady positioned Swanepoel at the center of global attention, it simultaneously triggered an unexpected and bitter rift among her peers—most notably involving fellow supermodel Joan Smalls.

Supporting Data: The Victoria’s Secret Legacy and Industry Footprint

To fully contextualize why Tom Brady’s romantic choices repeatedly center around Victoria’s Secret alumni, it is necessary to examine the cultural weight and statistical magnitude of the brand’s models.

The Elite Roster of Victoria’s Secret Alumni Linked to Brady

• Gisele Bündchen:
  • Angel Status: Appointed in 2000
  • Runway Appearances: 7
  • Relationship Duration: Married 2009–2022 (Dating from 2006)
• Irina Shayk:
  • Angel Status: None (Featured Model)
  • Runway Appearances: 4
  • Relationship Duration: Short-term romance (~4 months in 2023)
• Candice Swanepoel:
  • Angel Status: Appointed in 2010
  • Runway Appearances: 14
  • Relationship Duration: Linked in 2026

The convergence of high-performance athletic achievement and top-tier high-fashion modeling has long created a unique cultural intersection. Brady’s gravitation toward these women is reflective of an elite social ecosystem where athletes of his caliber and supermodels of their stature inhabit overlapping circles of high-end events, charity galas, and exclusive private clubs.

Official Responses and Social Media Warfare: Unraveling the Joan Smalls Drama

While celebrity romances are rarely quiet, the inclusion of Candice Swanepoel into Tom Brady’s orbit has birthed a narrative far more dramatic than standard Hollywood dating gossip. The ripple effects of Swanepoel’s reported relationship with Brady have laid bare deep-seated tensions within the modeling community, specifically dragging 38-year-old supermodel Joan Smalls into the spotlight.

The Joan Smalls Connection

Reports emerged in early 2026 suggesting that Joan Smalls had previously shared a quiet, on-again-off-again romantic history with Tom Brady that lasted for approximately one year. While details of Smalls’ alleged past relationship with the former quarterback were largely kept under wraps during its occurrence, the subsequent revelation of Swanepoel’s involvement with Brady allegedly shattered a long-standing friendship between the two models.

The friction spilled over into the public eye via digital platforms—the modern battleground for celebrity fallout. Eagle-eyed fans and prominent celebrity gossip curators, notably the anonymous Instagram-based Deuxmoi, documented a public digital confrontation involving Smalls.

When a curious netizen directly questioned Smalls regarding the sudden absence of her friendship with Swanepoel, Smalls did not mince words. In a blistering public reply captured by social media watchdogs, Smalls reportedly fired back:

"I am not friends with traitors."

This scathing 6-word remark instantly validated rumors of a profound fracture within the modeling fraternity. Industry insiders have since begun piecing together a narrative wherein code-of-conduct boundaries among top-tier models were allegedly breached, transforming what should have been a celebratory new romance for Brady into a high-fashion civil war.

Implications: The Intersection of Sports, Fashion, and Public Scrutiny

The unfolding drama surrounding Tom Brady, Candice Swanepoel, and Joan Smalls carries broader implications for how high-profile romances are consumed, scrutinized, and weaponized in the digital age.

1. The Blurring Lines Between Sports and Celebrity Culture

Tom Brady has successfully transitioned from an athletic phenomenon into a multi-hyphenate cultural brand. His post-football life is analyzed with the same microscopic precision as his game-winning drives in the fourth quarter. By continually aligning himself with iconic figures from the fashion world, Brady maintains a powerful grip on the global media cycle, ensuring his relevance extends far beyond sports broadcasting and business ventures.

2. The Fragility of Elite Social Circles

The public fallout between Swanepoel and Smalls highlights the intense social dynamics at play within the upper echelons of the modeling industry. In a world where relationships, campaigns, and social circles overlap tightly, dating a high-profile public figure like Brady functions as a stress test for personal loyalties. The public nature of Smalls’ "traitor" comment demonstrates how quickly private grievances can become global headlines, permanently altering high-society dynamics.

3. The Enduring Mythos of the "Victoria’s Secret Curse"

Tabloids and pop-culture commentators have long joked about the pervasive connection between Tom Brady and the lingerie giant’s elite roster. Whether intentional or purely coincidental, Brady’s romantic preferences have effectively created a cinematic universe of former Angels and high-fashion icons. As the narrative continues to evolve through 2026, the public fascination with Brady’s love life shows zero signs of abating, proving that the legendary quarterback remains as magnetic off the field as he ever was on it.