Romee Strijd

Romee Strijd is a Dutch professional model who gained global recognition as a Victoria's Secret Angel. Born in Zoetermeer, South Holland, she built an extensive international career on the runway and in high-fashion editorial projects, representing top global fashion brands, magazine publications, and commercial campaigns.

Strijd grew up alongside a younger sister named Ise. At thirteen years old, she was approached by a modeling scout in Amsterdam, but she initially declined the offer due to nervousness and alternative aspirations. At age fifteen, she reevaluated her interest in the industry and signed with DNA Model Management in 2011. She paused her schooling to work as a model, but at seventeen she returned home to the Netherlands to complete her secondary education after finding the demands of the career overwhelming. Upon graduation, she reaffirmed her commitment to modeling and relocated to New York City.

During her early career, Strijd worked in major industry hubs including Milan, Paris, and New York City for fashion labels like Burberry, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. Over the years, her editorial work appeared in international editions of Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, and Madame Figaro. She secured covers for publications such as Unconditional Magazine, Exit, Maxim, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and Vogue. Notably, after inspiring the publication to focus an issue on motherhood, she posed twenty-six weeks pregnant for the November 2020 cover of Dutch Vogue.

Throughout her fashion career, Strijd walked runway shows for numerous designers, including Alexander McQueen, Balmain, Calvin Klein, Celine, Donna Karan, Isabel Marant, Michael Kors, Off-White, and Vera Wang. Her major advertising campaigns include work for Carolina Herrera, Giuseppe Zanotti, H&M, Juicy Couture, Marchesa, and Stradivarius. She debuted at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2014 and became an official Victoria's Secret Angel in 2015, making her the third Dutch model to hold the title following Karen Mulder and Doutzen Kroes.

In March 2017, Strijd signed with IMG Models. The following year, she wore the Shooting Star Swarovski Look during the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and was named a brand ambassador for the Australian swimwear label Seafolly.

Strijd expanded her media presence by creating a personal YouTube channel in July 2017, sharing beauty content, vlogs, and behind-the-scenes footage. By 2023, her channel had garnered 1.86 million subscribers and 190 million overall views.

In her personal life, Strijd has been in a relationship with Laurens van Leeuwen, the son of television presenter Bert van Leeuwen, since January 2010. The couple announced their engagement in January 2022, obtained a marriage certificate in the United States, and plan to hold a formal wedding. Strijd has opened up about her experience with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), explaining that intense workouts and weight pressures from modeling led to a seven-year absence of her period before lifestyle changes helped restore her health. She and Van Leeuwen have two daughters: Mint, born in December 2020, and June, born in November 2022.