About
Lily Aldridge is an American model whose easy-going personality and effortless style helped her rise from a teenage catalog regular to one of the best-known faces on the runway. Born on November 15, 1985, in Santa Monica, California, she became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2010, wore the $2 million Fantasy Bra in 2015, and shared the 50th-anniversary cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue with Chrissy Teigen and Nina Agdal in 2014. Away from fashion shows she is also an entrepreneur: her cruelty-free fragrance label, Lily Aldridge Parfums, launched in 2019 with the floral-woody scent Haven.
Before Fame
Modeling was always close at hand. Lily’s father, Alan Aldridge, is a celebrated British illustrator, while her mother, Laura Lyons, was a Playboy Playmate in the 1970s. Their creative circle—plus summer breaks spent flipping through fashion magazines—sparked her curiosity about style early on. She attended school in both California and London, absorbing a mix of laid-back beach culture and classic European fashion sense. At 16, she posed for an Abercrombie & Fitch campaign; two years later the Spanish edition of Vogue gave her a first cover, confirming that the hobby had turned into a career.
Trivia
- Angel wings & jewels – As a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 2010 to 2018, Lily opened several segments and, in 2015, showcased the jeweled Fantasy Bra studded with more than 6,500 gems.
- Fragrance storyteller – She designs every scent in her perfume line around a personal memory. Haven recalls blooming roses in her Nashville garden; the second scent, Summit, channels crisp mountain air. Sustainability was baked in, with recycled cartons and responsibly harvested wood caps.
- SoulCycle for good – On April 10, 2024, Lily hosted a charity ride in West Hollywood that raised funds for Girls on the Run, tying the event to Beyond Yoga’s POWERBEYOND fabric launch. Earlier the same month she joined another GOTR benefit while sporting Beyond Yoga gear.
- Fitness first – Preparing for runway season means early-morning workouts, salmon-and-greens lunches, and plenty of aloe water—habits she shares on her YouTube channel.
- Pop-culture cameos – Fans of music videos can spot her in Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood,” Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff,” and two Kings of Leon clips.
Family Life
Creativity runs through the Aldridge household. Lily’s younger sister Ruby is also a model; her half-brother Miles is a fashion photographer; her half-sister Saffron has graced countless ads. During the 2007 Coachella festival she crossed paths with Caleb Followill, lead singer of rock band Kings of Leon. The couple exchanged vows on May 12, 2011, at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito. Today they divide their time between Los Angeles and a quieter base in Nashville, raising daughter Dixie Pearl (born 2012) and son Winston (born 2019). Lily often credits motherhood for teaching her patience and for inspiring business choices that prioritize clean ingredients and responsible sourcing.
Associated With
- Victoria’s Secret – A key member of the Angel lineup for nearly a decade, sharing catwalks with Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, and others.
- Taylor Swift – Appeared as “Frostbyte” in the star-studded “Bad Blood” video and is part of Swift’s close circle of friends.
- Chrissy Teigen & Nina Agdal – Her co-cover models on the landmark 2014 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
- Kings of Leon – Through her marriage to Caleb Followill, Lily has appeared in two of the band’s videos and occasionally tours with them.
- Girls on the Run & Beyond Yoga – Frequent collaborator for youth-empowerment and wellness initiatives, blending fashion influence with philanthropy.