So many fashion-related events unfold throughout the year, with multiple shows held across the globe, from couture house runway extravaganzas in Paris and Milan, to guerrilla streetwear photo shoots in Tokyo and Lagos. However, few viewers without an interest in fashion keep up with all the shows and brands. Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has always been a completely different story, one which attracted international attention, as the show itself was a major spectacle.
Yup, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has returned, after being canceled in 2019. The first show was back in 1995, growing in popularity in the early 2000s. With some of the world’s biggest supermodels strutting down the runway in angel wings, the fashion show switched from an event promoting lingerie, to a true cultural phenomenon. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show blended high-profile musical entertainers with elaborate stage designs, themes, and celebrity cameos.
Aided by icons like Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima, Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen, and Rosie Huntington-Whitely strutting their stuff, Victoria’s Secret was all about glam, playfulness, and femininity. While it all started as a fantasy, as highlighted by the custom-made, million-dollar Fantasy Bra, the fantasy element also had a part in its downfall.
What happened to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show?
Once applauded for its inclusivity, as the show attracted international audiences, it followed the same formula of hyper-feminine (some would say sexist) fantasy fodder every year, in contrast to a broader conversation about women’s empowerment. As the 2010s brought a major cultural change surrounding body positivity, diversity, and the #MeToo movement, Victoria’s Secret’s Angels and Fantasy elements became increasingly controversial, leading to a decline in viewership and sales. The show had more than 10 million viewers in 2010, but only over 3 million in 2018.
The supermodels wearing wings, glitter, and feathers were once a big attraction, but the lack of body diversity became a major point of criticism. The Angels followed very specific beauty standards — they were tall, thin, and mostly white. As the fashion industry slowly but surely started to change, Victoria’s Secret didn’t do the same, and largely avoided hiring women who didn’t fit the brand, and in turn, women lost enthusiasm.
The objectification of women attracted criticism given the hyper-sexualized nature of the show and its fantasy-driven imagery. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show didn’t escape unscathed, and its portrayal of women as sexual objects felt out of touch, unlike other shows encouraging body autonomy and women’s empowerment.
The exclusion of transgender models was also a defining factor in its decline. In 2018, Ed Razek, the Chief Marketing Officer of Victoria’s Secret parent company, made a controversial statement noting that he doesn’t think transgender models should be a part of the show, because Victoria’s Secret was selling a “fantasy.” He received heavy criticism, which led to him stepping down in August 2019. Victoria’s Secret apologized and hired Valentina Sampaio, the first openly transgender model, the same month.
In 2020, an investigation claimed that Victoria’s Secret had a toxic culture of misogyny, bullying, and harassment. In 2021, Victoria’s Secret split from L Brands, and started a new image in an attempt to attract more women and customers, promoting more diverse, plus-size, and body-positive models. In 2023, this led to a revamped version of its show, releasing the Victoria’s Secret World Tour on Prime Video.
Has the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show changed?
Largely speaking, yes. The show brought back several iconic supermodels of all ages, put them back on heels, and slapped some angel wings to their backs. It also had the first all-women lineup of performers led by the legendary Cher, Grammy winner Tyla, and K-pop star Lisa. This sounds like the recipe for success …but it wasn’t.
The production was largely criticized, especially for the lack of “glam.” Tyra Banks made her return on the runway, only to forego her wings for leggings. The wings on the other models looked cheap, and the show itself didn’t impress anyone despite its lineup.
The good news is, the show finally did better from a standpoint of diversity, spotlighting several Black models, transgender models Valentina Sampaio and Alex Consani, and plus-size supermodel Ashley Graham, who strutted down the catwalk alongside other body-positive models. Even so, viewers felt like the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show lacked the glitz and glam it was known for; it may have failed to reach its market, despite the hard work to escape its past.
