Celilo Miles Is a Model, Firefighter, and the Star of Victoria’s Secret’s Latest Campaign
Victoria’s Secret is ready to reintroduce itself. In the last three years, the lingerie giant has undergone an image 180, ditching its “angels,” expanding its size range, and rethinking how it markets to women. Under the creative direction of Raúl Martinez, VS isn’t about push-up bras and perpetual pink—at least not entirely. Inclusion has become a brand principle, reflected in the diverse lineup of ambassadors announced in June of last year, including names like model Adut Akech and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. And now, for the first full-scale collection launch of Martinez’s tenure, the brand is launching Love Cloud, a comfort-focused lineup of bras and panties in a plush material that is the softest the brand has used to date.
Premiering on Valentine’s Day with a campaign that includes Hailey Bieber, Paloma Elsesser, Shalom Harlow, Taylor Hill, and Iman Hammam, Love Cloud’s debut is appropriately splashy. Top models aren’t the most exciting aspect of the ads, either: To hammer home the message that the new VS is for all people, the runway stars are joined by a series of inspiring women from around the world. Each comes from a different industry or creative path and represents the kind of beauty previously excluded from the VS fantasy. Production coordinator Yacine Ndaw, multidisciplinary artist MaryAnn Elizabeth, medic Jailyn Matthews, and Cello Miles, a Nez Perce Tribe-Wildland Firefighter, all shine in the images. For Miles, the opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. “I feel grateful to be a part of this,” she shared over the phone from Idaho. “It speaks to my life and the trials that I’ve gone through trying to break into this industry. It was refreshing to know that I don’t have to change who I am to make it in this world.”
Originally from Lapwai, Idaho, Miles grew up on the Nez Perce Reservation. Though she was more interested in outdoorsy pursuits like fishing, hunting, and huckleberry picking with family, her potential as a model was spotted early. Still, she quickly faced scrutiny over her body. “I was scouted when I was 12 years old and immediately told to lose weight,” says Miles. “I was already skinny, but the focus was always on ‘problems’ with my body and losing more, so it just wasn’t a good start.”
Miles, an athlete who played basketball throughout high school, decided to try firefighting instead. “My sister started right after graduation, and I’ve always looked up to her,” she says. “When I was younger, she’d always protect me. She was the person who said: ‘Who cares what people think, do what you want to do.’ So I followed her path. I’d reached a point where I needed to push my boundaries and see what I could do as a woman beyond the expectations of becoming a mother and wife.”
In 2016, Miles began working on a 20-man crew within her tribe’s fire department. With the job’s focus was on teamwork, strength, and helping others, Miles immediately felt she’d found her place. “You’re out working with 20 people, usually on mop-up duty getting dirty and digging lines,” she says. “My goal is just to keep learning and moving up.” Accomplishing that means rigorous training and maintaining your wits in high-pressure situations. “Every summer I’m taking a physical exam to make sure my health is in order [and] the PAC test is wearing this 45lb vest while running three miles in under 45 minutes, so it’s intense,” says Miles. “I prefer engine crew, though as I don’t want to go overboard and break my body, but even driving can be incredibly dangerous. We’re out in the mountains where there are woodland fires and limited road access so you have to worry about dead trees or traffic on these single lane roads.”
Though firefighting is her passion, Miles has continued to balance her day job with modeling. Interestingly, the confidence and tenacity she’d gained as a firefighter have helped her to navigate the industry’s ups and downs. “I just love the atmosphere of fashion,” she explains. “The diversity of the people you meet behind the scenes and the creativity you’re exposed to is all so wonderful. After my first bad experiences with modeling, I put it all on the back burner, but once I’d done my first fire season, I felt mentally prepared.” Miles moved to New York in 2017 to pursue her modeling dream, but after losing her brother in 2019, her priorities changed. “I had to reevaluate my life and get my health back,” she says. “I could have done more with fashion in New York, but I knew that what I needed was to go home and be with my family, build quality relationships with the people within my own community.”