On October 15th, the lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret came in hot with the return of its iconic runway show for the first time in six years. After last year’s failure of an attempt to reinvent the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show by giving us an obviously performative documentary, the pressure to come back this year was on. This year’s show restored some of the glamor we previously missed with performers including Lisa, Tyla, and Cher, and past VS icons. It also showed plenty of evidence of learning from past mistakes, with models of all shapes, colors, and ages. However, some other aspects still fell short of expectations.
As a little girl growing up in the early 2000s, the VS Fashion Show was my Superbowl. I looked at those VS angels and just wanted to be transported into their idealistic world and never come back. I was too young at the time to understand that what I was watching was not only tailored for the male gaze but also perpetrated harmful body image issues for so many women. With only young, thin, picture-perfect women being presented as the ideal and also focusing on men’s reactions in the audience to the women in many of the shots, this was clearly not an experience tailored by women for women.
The issue with 2023’s “Victoria’s Secret: The Tour” documentary was that it sent a message that diversity and glamor are mutually exclusive. One of the biggest factors for the show shutting down after 2018 was that only one body type and age range was allowed to be a Victoria’s Secret Angel. Only one type of woman could be that unattainable, heavenly being. Last year’s so-called “show” was quite inclusive but took out the glamor element, which told the audience that if the show was to include diverse body types, they couldn’t be ethereal like they used to be. All we wanted was for the show to keep the same whimsical excitement from the past and simply make it more inclusive.
This year’s opening of the show set a high standard for what was to come, with Blackpink’s Lisa riding on a motorcycle through a pink-lit New York City to get to the runway, opening with her hit song “Rockstar”. The VS Fashion Show has always been famous for its breathtaking musical performances, and I honestly believe that in all of the show’s history, this one tops them all.
The first look to walk the runway was Gigi Hadid, looking pretty in pink with massive feathered wings that opened up as she walked, with the words “We’re Back” on the screen behind her. If I had never seen a VS Runway in my life, I would have been amazed. As an OG VS fan, my first thought was, “That’s it?”. Those wings used to be the standard for these shows, and now it’s the opening look? Unfortunately, the wings did not get any better after that. Not only were they underwhelming, but the lingerie was basic, unimaginative, and such a downgrade from the fantastical costumes they used to show. The hair and makeup were equally as dull. The gorgeous blowouts, bright red blush, and glossy lips from the past were nowhere to be seen. Instead, we got slick-backs, neutrals, and flat looks. Again, how hard is it to be both glamorous and inclusive?
Despite the sub-par looks, I was happy to see a focus on a largely female audience, with female performers, diverse body types, trans representation, and age inclusivity. This was an experience tailored by women, for women. For decades, being a Victoria’s Secret Supermodel was the highest symbol of beauty, and now that extends to so many women who were previously excluded. There is truly no one right way to be a woman, let alone a “beautiful” one. Every woman on the runway looked like an angel that night, and I hope that women and girls around the world can feel represented because everyone deserves to feel beautiful and confident. Victoria’s Secret is no longer about one specific ideal. It’s about women feeling sexy, empowered, and alluring no matter how old they are, what color they are, or what size they are.
Words by Mishi Ali
Graphic by Thirdy Pacis