It's unmistakable when Kanye West walks into a room — particularly when that room is the backstage lair of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Inside the New York State Armory, between tables covered with makeup, hair spray and extensions, he's greeting Doutzen Kroes. Chatting with Chanel Iman. Hugging Alessandra Ambrosio. Clad in a pink silk robe before the show, Iman laughed over the singer's magnetism. "Everybody just ran to one side of the room! It was crazy," she said. "But Kanye is Kanye. He's doing his thing."

West was gearing up for a big night of performances alongside Maroon 5 and Nicki Minaj, who pumped up the crowd — and the models — at the VS show taping Wednesday and airing Nov. 29 on CBS (10 p.m. ET/PT). The event drew celebrities such as Tyson Beckford, Cuba Gooding Jr., Russell Simmons, Michael Bay and Stephen Dorff. Before the show, the models agreed the party was bigger and better than ever.

Six themes, 31 pairs of wings, 38 models and a whopping 69 looks walked down the runway. Candice Swanepoel opened a ballet-inspired section in a sexy pastel purple tutu and giant wings.
"It's so extravagant this year," Swanepoel said.

Ballet and "Passion" sections were followed by a colorful "Super Angels" theme, an aquatic section, a New Orleans-style "I Put a Spell on You" section and a disco-driven Club Pink finale. West opened the Super Angels section with a rendition of Stronger. "Now that was one of the classics," the performer said before bringing out Jay-Z as a surprise guest to sing a rocking version of new song N - - - - - in Paris, which brought the crowd to their feet.

On the runway were veterans including Adriana Lima, who wowed in a sheer black and red number at the end of the Passion section; Swanepoel, on her fifth time walking in wings; Kroes, who began walking for VS in 2005; and Kerr, who has been with the show since 2006 but took last year off while pregnant with son Flynn.

Ambrosio was celebrating her 10th walk down the glittery catwalk and strutted it in a back-straining outfit featuring real gold-laden wings that glittered with Swarovski crystals. "It's definitely the heaviest wings they've ever made for Victoria's Secret. I tried to strengthen my back a little bit."Kerr loved her three looks, which included a "Red Swan-like" ballet outfit and this year's $2.5 million Fantasy Treasure Bra decked out in 14-carat yellow diamonds and pearls she wore with wings during the aquatic section.

Before the show, it was all about cultivating the modern glamour girl backstage. Hairstylist Orlando Pita fashioned loose, undone waves, while makeup guru Tom Pecheux applied toned-down makeup, focusing on Marilyn Monroe-inspired cat eyes and flushed cheeks. "Enough of fakeness," said Pecheux, who did away with fake eyelashes, heavy eye makeup and shimmer. As models got ready, they shared how life has changed in the past year. Lily Aldridge, who married Kings of Leon rocker Caleb Followill in May, called married life "the best. It's different in a good way. You're family."

Kerr, who is married to Orlando Bloom and gave birth in January, said motherhood "puts everything into perspective. He's the most important thing in my life. He's such a ball of light and love."And that killer post-baby body? Yoga and Pilates, she said. Plus, "I put weights on my ankles and do leg lifts. It burns."

Beckford was psyched to see girlfriend Shanina Shaik walk the VS runway for the first time. "I trained her like a madman for this thing," said the America's Next Top Model judge. "I had her do 500 squats one night. She hated me the next day."