Victoria’s Secret is doing everything it can to make a comeback. . . But are we still feeling delusional? Brand loyalists and defensive Instagram commenters will tell you that its recent fashion show (its first in six years) was well done. Reflecting “who we are today,” the 2024 show features an all-female lineup, including legendary models such as Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima and Kate Moss. We even saw body diversity in Paloma Elsesser and Ashley Graham, as well as the historic inclusion of two transgender models: Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio. Considering VS’s troubled history, the show was called “a good start” by celebrity stylist Law Roach, and we’re inclined to agree.
Still, even a star performer like Cher can’t hide the shadow of former marketing executive Ed Razek’s sexist, transphobic and fatphobic comments, including his claim that “transgender models” can’t be VS Angels , because “because this show is a fantasy.” (To which we say: Whose fantasy?) We also can’t forget about Hulu’s 2022 documentary Victoria’s Secret: Angels & Demons , which raised eyebrows about the former CEO Leslie Wexner and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein (who served as Wexner’s CEO).
Increased representation on the Victoria’s Secret runway is an undeniable win. We enjoy the unique glitz and glamor that VS fan favorites bring to the table. Although the show goes to great lengths to make us believe that it only caters to the female gaze, claiming that “on the runway, it’s all about the women,” that doesn’t quite ring true. In fact, in 2024, it’s almost impossible to sell the same old, male-driven fantasy without feeling completely anachronistic.
Compared to brands like Aerie, Savage A final effort was to put on a toothy smile and wait tentatively for that stamp of approval. The brand promises that now everyone can sit next to the cool girls. . . As long as they purchase 5 pairs of panties for $30 off. But what happens when the cool girls leave altogether?
It’s true that nostalgia runs deep with Victoria’s Secret’s ostrich-feathered wings. Despite its problems, the older show was a lot of fun. We think back to the days of diamond-encrusted bras, over-the-top props, dramatic catwalks and themed costumes. Now, in its mission to reinvent it for the modern era, the brand may have accidentally lost the one thing they were going for: a feeling of novelty and excitement. This year’s show feels a bit like VS trying to start over, but really, it might be an opportunity to start over.
Going forward, we’d like to see the iconic VS glamor we know and love combined with more truly inclusive advances—that means bigger sizes, more intentional presentation, and all-around right styling (no, in more The big model is wearing a pajama) body is not counted). That is, if we truly believe that VS has changed. While we can’t quite define the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show as the dramatic return it so desperately craves, we can say it’s moving in the right direction. In Roach’s words, it’s definitely a start.
Chandler Plante is an assistant editor at PS Health and Fitness. She has more than four years of professional journalism experience, previously serving as an editorial assistant at People magazine and writing for Ladygunn, Millie and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she enjoys finding new ways to rock her 18 (!) different eye patches and making videos about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.
