The annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is one of the most prestigious gigs a model can land. Gaining your "Angel wings" — intricately designed pairs of wings given to the most highly regarded models in the show — is a whole other privilege.

 

Jan Planit, who used to head up top modelling agency IMG and now runs Planit Model Management, once told the New York Post: "There are very few special things you can achieve as a model. Getting your Angel wings is the ultimate."

 

The iconic shows are famed for their dramatic, colourful, and skimpy outfits, as well as their impressive lineup of entertainment.

 

Last year, 51 top models made the final cut for the show, just 14 of whom were designated "Victoria's Secret Angels" — brand ambassadors who travel the world promoting Victoria's Secret year-round. Best friends Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner became the most recent models to earn their wings on stage at the 2016 show.

 

While being in the show might be a privilege, the money doesn't hurt, either. Nine of the models who appeared in the 2016 show even appeared on Forbes' list of the world’s 20 highest-paid models in 2016.

 

Scroll down to see the highest-paid Victoria's Secret models from last year's show, ranking in ascending order by their 2016 earnings, according to Forbes.

 

*The earnings are an estimate based on income from all modelling contracts, both from Victoria Secret as well as other companies.