By Stephanie Nguyen
The lingerie brand launched its comeback with the announcement of another fashion show on Instagram Reels, planned to be held in the fall of 2024. On Oct. 15, its YouTube channel live-streamed the widely anticipated event. In the post, they said it will “reflect who we are today, plus everything you know and love–the glamour, runways, wings, musical entertainment, and more!”
After watching the 45-minute video still on the channel, I’m not convinced.
The outfits
All of the videos deriding the garments resonated with me. Cheap and bare-bones, they were a let-down. Their wings–the showstoppers in past years–appeared to be made of plastic, wire and glitter reminiscent of the kind used for projects in elementary school. A few of the ensembles at the end were good, but most of them left a lot to be desired.
The lingerie gets a pass though. Unlike previous years, pieces worn for the show were meant to be sold. What I don’t get is the haphazard styling, which is difficult to mess up because simpler pieces are blank canvases.
The staging and singers
On the flip side, the special effects, stage lighting and music were incredible. From the neon lights in Lisa’s Monster to the golden “Cher” emblazoned in the back, the special effects crew deserves a raise. It has gone a long way from the awkward red background for the 2005 runway.
Speaking of Lisa and Cher, the line of performers was all female for the first time, and it’s not an accident. This new selection of entertainers was an attempt to be inclusive. From its origin to the products, the brand catered to the male gaze, earning it loads of backlash.
Joining the ladies was Tyla, who won praise from viewers for her catwalk and outfit, with Lisa receiving similar feedback. Their wings were what I thought the models would wear, but I’m glad they showed up. Lisa’s choreography and Cher’s dancers were the much-needed entertainment in an otherwise stale exhibition.
The models
A major change for Victoria’s Secret: there was a lot of diversity on the catwalk. Specifically, there were a lot of African American, Asian, Latina and multi-racial and multi-ethnic models. And to reverse its past controversies, transgender and plus-size models donned their wings. However, I was a little confused about the latter. To me they were mid-size; perhaps it’s an industry standard? I searched Elsesser on Google and it categorized her as plus-size, yet her dress size is sixteen.
The show also had women of various ages, with Alessandra Ambrosio (third row, far left), a former Victoria’s Secret Angel, at forty-three and Carla Bruni, a supermodel during the 90s, at fifty-seven. I think having them on the runway helps older women insecure about their bodies. I rarely saw older models for clothing advertisements, let alone lingerie.
But it’s missing a big thing
Despite all of the positives and progress, there’s a question lingering in the back of my mind: “So what?”
What Victoria’s Secret did was revolutionary for the brand, not the fashion industry. It’s behind everybody else. Way before the show, I’ve seen inclusive billboards at the Orange Outlets already.
I’ve also checked out the website, dominated by skinny models. It makes me wonder if they care about their own message. Savage x Fenty –Rihanna’s lingerie brand– had a lot more variety, featuring people even bigger than the plus-size models on the show.
Diversity on the runway doesn’t mean anything when it’s not in the stores themselves. Consumers want to buy from a brand they trust. I don’t think anybody can trust a company that doesn’t keep its promises. And judging by the lukewarm reviews on their purchases, people have already moved on from Victoria’s Secret.
Final thoughts
I hope it can commit to cleaning up its image for good. As the skinny legend becomes trendy again, a brand with a big reputation and appeal to younger consumers like Victoria’s Secret can turn things around. Beauty standards are getting stricter, and younger consumers need to be reminded that there’s nothing wrong with their bodies. There should be something for everyone.
But if the brand doesn’t learn from its mistakes, this might as well be the end.
