Fantasy. Glitter. Voluminous hair. Pink. Stilettos. Bombshells. Set designs. Themes. Repeat. Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was once the highlight of my year. I couldn’t wait to see the gorgeous figures strut across the stage, looking glamorous. My eyes were glued to the screen, waiting for the next pretty face to glide across the stage. I probably should have known from there that I would be into the beauty industry.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was held annually between 1995 and 2018 but began broadcasting on TV in 2001. The entire show embodied “fantasy,” which was a great selling point at the time. Whether you were a model or not, every girl wanted to be a Victoria’s Secret Angel. But let’s dig a little deeper. At the time, mainstream media only really displayed one body type, thin, and that, along with the fantasy, helped sell Victoria’s Secret. When it came to the female body type, diversity was uncommon but also widely acceptable at the time. But as times changed, Victoria’s Secret failed to evolve. People no longer wanted to see only one body type on the runway but a more diversified group of body types. People no longer wanted to see just blonde hair and blue eyes but more of what the fashion world embodied: all different ethnicities. Don’t get me wrong, we understood that Victoria’s Secret, as a brand, was not big on inclusivity, but we were unaware of how blatant it was. All of this led to a decline in viewership of the fashion shows and support of the entire brand. In 2019, the brand put an end to the show.
Then came other fashion shows like Savage X Fenty Show in 2019, which satisfied its audience. The show embodied what Victoria’s Secret lacked: racial diversity and body inclusivity. You could watch the show and feel included because there were models that LOOKED like you. With the rise of Savage X Fenty, Victoria’s Secret was falling further and further into the shadows. Who needed them when you had a brand founded by a singer/businesswoman that made everyone feel included? Male and female.
This year, Victoria’s Secret announced the return of their notorious fashion show, and when I say I was excited. This was my chance to see one of my favorite angels, Andriana Lima, strut across the stage in her wings again. I was ready, but was everyone else? I ran straight to Twitter to see what the discourse was, and of course, there was slight outrage. It seemed like some people were excited to see the angels on the stage again, while others expressed what they didn’t want to see on the stage. I get both sides, trust me. I understand the excitement behind the show returning, but I also understand not wanting to see what led to the decline in the business overall. But the truth of the matter is that the Victoria’s Secret fashion show was never meant to be inclusive. The show’s whole persona was selling a “fantasy,” and the fantasy, at the time, was blonde and blue, tall and thin. You did have models such as Tyra Banks that constantly challenged those barriers, but for the most part, you were getting one image. So, what was to come with the return of the Victoria’s Secret fashion show?
They did give us what we wanted: racial and body inclusivity, but at what cost? I had my thoughts while watching, but I also thought I was being too critical. Something was missing… actually, a lot of things were missing. Where was the voluminous hair? Where was the glitter, the theme, the fantasy? Why were there so many sleek ponytails? Why was the set so dark? Why was the stage so wide? Why were the outfits lacking? I was critiquing everything, and then I realized I wasn’t the only one. According to Twitter, the budget wasn’t there. What I felt towards the show was the exact feelings others were having. For the show to have been gone for so many years, we expected MORE. We expected the glitz and glam, that nostalgic feeling from the early 2000s, and we didn’t get that. Maybe next year?
From left to right (starting from the top): Adriana Lima, Taylor Hill, Tyra Banks, Doutzen Kroes, Devyn Garcia, Bella Hadid, Candice Swanepoel, Anok Yai, Kate Moss, Joan Smalls
Thanks for covering this! Looks like Savage X Fenty has raised the bar so high, some are failing to rise to the occasion. Diversity is a lifestyle, not a trend. It's really not hard to grasp. Great read!