By Laurie Brookins, Photographs: Sante d'Orazio

've mentioned the L word to Gisele Bündchen, and she isn't happy about it. In her defense, it was the sole topic declared off-limits by the various and sundry people who surround the world's most high-profile supermodel. But a last-minute reprieve awarded by her handlers, coupled with the fact that she exudes a genuine warmth and effervescence during the opening minutes of our interview, leads me to believe that one question might be permissible.

In my defense, I don't toss the L word blatantly and cavalierly into the air; rather, I approach it from a completely different–and cautiously respectful–tack, one that merits valid consideration in our media-driven, celebrity-obsessed culture. And that question would be: As was the case at this year's Academy Awards, how does Bündchen feel about the manic, dervishlike attention when she appears in public with–here comes that L word–Leo?

Again, it's a credit to Bündchen's consummate professionalism that she handles the question with aplomb. "With wars and so many other insane things happening in the world, I don't know why people make such a big deal out of this," she says, her voice exhibiting nary a trace of annoyance. "I understand that my job is different because it's very public, but everyone has a boyfriend, everyone has a girlfriend, right? We're private people, but when you're dating someone and love them and want to support them, of course you want to be there for those important moments. It really is as simple as that."

Aside from a rare public declaration–that she has used her own L word while referring to longtime boyfriend DiCaprio–Bündchen's comment isn't so much earth-shattering as it is a revealing insight into the levelheaded temperament of someone who could otherwise glide through life as an impossibly beautiful woman. Whether or not she was truly annoyed by the question remains to be seen, but you have to admire both the candor and conscience of a woman who's very much in control of her destiny.

And lately destiny is leading Bündchen down a few new paths–one of which traverses through Las Vegas, where she'll appear June 9th to celebrate the opening of the newly expanded Victoria's Secret, which officially debuts May 19th in The Forum Shops at Caesars. (Bündchen's appearance coincides with the premiere of an exhibit of pieces from past Victoria's Secret fashion shows.) At almost 11,000 square feet, the store is one of the largest VS locations in the U.S. and boasts a variety of firsts, from a designer selection that includes the likes of Roberto Cavalli and Betsey Johnson to a boutique featuring a collection by renowned Paris lingerie designer Chantal Thomass.

While Thomass has collaborated with Victoria's Secret since 1995–crafting pieces for their fashion shows and doing small collections positioned as the label's high end–this boutique represents the premiere of her couture-level Paris line in the States. Among fashion circles, the French designer has achieved almost a cult following for her unique mix of fabrics–laces paired with menswear stripes, for example–and her construction, which both sculpts and frames the body, but never veers into over-the-top territory...

For the full story, Subscribe to Vegas Magazine now!