After a six-year hiatus, Victoria’s Secret Fashion made a return. The show was held in the fashion capital of the United States, New York City. On October 15, familiar faces such as Bella Hadid, Tyla Banks, Adriana Lima, Kate Moss, and so many more iconic models who were revolutionary to the modeling industry joined the stage.
Vicoria’s Secret Fashion Shows were annual events up until 2018. The shows were cancelled after the brand received criticism for lack of inclusivity for plus-sized people, showed ageism, and even underrepresentation of races. Since then, the Victoria Secret has rebranded itself as the VS Collective. These models make up a more diverse group that replaced the original angels.
For this show, Victoria’s Secret bounced back from the criticism and changed accordingly. The show had more women of color walking and embracing their natural hair styles, as well as making home to plus-sized models. The female gaze was emphasized throughout the show as it had an all-women lineup for music that included Cher, Tyla, Lisa of Blackpink, and Hello. The costumes ranged from the typical lingerie to some more modest and covered-up costumes.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, Sarah Sylvester, the Executive Vice President of marketing for Victoria’s Secret, mentioned thatthe parts of our DNA that we love and that are important to us, and realizing that we also are able to evolve and be more modern and more inclusive.” Critics have said that the brand is trying too hard to portray the image of inclusion. They mention that these efforts feel inauthentic and fake. Janie Schaffer was asked whether the efforts of the show were to address the negative headlines and controversy in 2019, and she said, “Yes, in short, absolutely.”
The lack of inclusivity was made obvious when the former marketing chief, Ed Razek, stated that trans women couldn’t be angels. This marked one of Victoria’s secret controversies that shifted the brand. The show featured Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio, two trans models, to insist that the brand does not agree with Ed Razek’s transphobic comments.
Despite the satisfaction of viewers regarding inclusivity, many are beginning to critique the budget. Users on social media are claiming the show was boring and uninspiring. The brand has seen sales decrease violently; critics respond that the move towards inclusivity has failed to appeal.
Regarding the show’s budget, viewers responded to it as a “major letdown.” In past shows, the models were seen strutting down iconic runways with 10-foot feathered wings that were extravagant. This year the show’s wings looked “cheap and sloppy,” critics comment. Another remarked: ‘Victoria Secret really said go woke, go broke.’
Despite Victoria’s Secrets best efforts, the public seemed to have been let down by the show once again. Although people are thankful for the inclusivity, many think that they strayed too far from the original brand. This yet again emphesizes that not everyone can be pleased.
