Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, one of the biggest and most expensive extravaganzas on the style calendar, took place in New York last week.

A riot of colours, crystals and jaw-dropping costumes, this year's show took circus, blooms and Dangerous Liaisons as its themes with 65 different looks parading down the catwalk and 28 pairs of wings.

Of course all eyes were on the famous Angels who showed off their toned physiques in the skimpiest of lingerie, bodysuits and basques. Alessandra Ambrosio was bestowed the honour of modelling this year's fantasy bra - worth $2.5 million - while Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars performed live on stage.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Adriana Lima

Barbara Fialho

Barbara Palvin

Bregje Heinen

Constance Jablonski

Bregje Heinen

Behati Prinsloo

Behati Prinsloo and Lily Aldridge

Cara Delevingne

British models Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn were the talk of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, as the pair made their catwalk debut for the lingerie brand. Both girls commented that they were feeling nervous backstage, prior to walking in the two shows at the Lexington Armory in New York.

"Do I wink? Blow a kiss? Or make a love heart shape? Ahhhhhhhhh help!" Dunn posted on Twitter following the initial dress rehearsal.

Constance Jablonski

Cameron Russell

Candice Swanepoel

So what does it take to make it as an Angel? A "special kind of confidence", according to Ed Razek, executive producer of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. "There are too many girls and not enough positions," he added.

"To be a Victoria's Secret model everything has to be just perfect, just at the right time," explained casting director John Pfeiffer. "It's a very small group of girls who stand a chance of being in the show."

Jasmine Tookes referred to her Victoria's Secret debut as a "childhood dream" come true.

"I would do little fashion shows at home for my mum, walking down the hallway - wishing it was me with my little wings," she said. "It was always my dream to be on that runway."

Dorothea Barth Jorgensen

Doutzen Kroes

Erin Heatherton

Toni Garrn

Elsa Hosk

Hilary Rhoda

Isabeli Fontana

Izabel Goulart

Jourdan Dunn

Jessica Hart

Jacquelyn Jablonski

Joan Smalls

Jasmine Tookes

Karlie Kloss

Lily Aldridge

Lily Donaldson

Lindsay Ellingson

Liu Wen

Magdalena Frackowiak

Miranda Kerr

Rihanna

Performances this year came courtesy of Rihanna - who treated the audience to two costume changes during the show - Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars.

Photos By Rex Features, Ed Kavish and Evan Agostini