The lights dimmed, the music swelled, and the iconic Victoria’s Secret wings once again took flight as the brand’s signature fashion show returned to the runway after a five-year hiatus. Held at the Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, New York on October 15th, the highly anticipated event aimed to reinvent the spectacle with a renewed focus on female empowerment and diversity.
Gone were the days of the exclusively thin, cisgender “Angels” that had defined the show’s image in the past. This year’s lineup featured a refreshingly inclusive cast of 50 models hailing from 25 different countries, representing a wide range of body types, ages, and backgrounds.
Executive producer Janie Schaffer told the audience before the live stream began, “We cast the models for their confidence and their fierceness, setting the tone for a show that sought to celebrate women on their own terms.”
Leading the charge was a roster of supermodel veterans and rising stars alike. Gigi and Bella Hadid returned to the runway, while plus-size icons Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser made their Victoria’s Secret debuts. Trailblazers Valentina Sampaio and Alex Consani became the first transgender models to ever walk in the show.
But the real show-stoppers were the familiar faces that brought a sense of nostalgia to the proceedings. Tyra Banks, the original “Angel,” who had retired from modeling nearly two decades ago, strutted down the catwalk at the age of 50, her signature “smize” still firmly in place. Adriana Lima, the Brazilian supermodel who graced countless Victoria’s Secret catalogs during her illustrious career, also returned to the fold, wings and all.
Even Kate Moss, the British fashion legend who had never before appeared in the Victoria’s Secret show, took to the stage, joined by her daughter Lila for a true family affair.
“This is a brand-new Victoria’s Secret fashion show, where women take the reins and the spotlight,” Banks announced as the show kicked off, setting the tone for the evening.
Gone were the days of the male-dominated “fantasy” segments, replaced by an all-female lineup of musical performers. Leading the charge was the iconic Cher, who took the stage to belt out classics like “Strong Enough” and “Believe.” Rising stars like K-pop sensation Lisa and South African singer Tyla joined the 78-year-old diva, each contributing their unique energy to the proceedings.
Although the return of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show elicited mixed reactions, it undoubtedly marked a significant step toward greater inclusivity for the brand. The increased representation of diverse body types, ages, and gender identities was a marked departure from the homogeneous vision of beauty that had long defined the event.
“I thought it was a lot of lip service and little action,” said Teen Vogue writer Aiyana Ishmael, reflecting the sentiment of those who felt the show still had a long way to go in truly embracing diversity and shedding its outdated image.
Nevertheless, the show’s producers seemed determined to usher in a new era for the lingerie giant. Schaffer’s emphasis on the models’ “confidence and fierceness” underscored a shift away from the objectification that had previously plagued the event.
The empowered presence of the models themselves echoed Schaffer’s declaration that, “On the runway, it’s all about the women.”
The audience pondered the future of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show as the final model strutted off the stage. Despite the inability to easily erase the brand’s past missteps, this year’s production offered a glimmer of hope that the company is willing to evolve and embrace a more inclusive, female-centric vision.
Whether the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show can fully shed its controversial history remains to be seen. But for now, the return of the iconic event has sparked a conversation about the changing landscape of the fashion industry and the ever-evolving definitions of beauty, power, and representation.
As the world bids farewell to the wings and glitter of this year’s show, one thing is certain: the future of Victoria’s Secret lies in the hands of the women who define it, not the outdated fantasies of the past.