The 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show: Legacy and Rebirth
Alex Consani walking the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Runway in New York City, image from Just Jared.
Following a six-year hiatus, the highly anticipated Victoria’s Secret fashion show has finally returned.
While on the surface this may seem insignificant to some, Victoria’s Secret fashion shows have been an integral part of American pop culture and beauty standards. Starting in 1995, the lingerie brand debuted its first fashion show, captivating America with its enchanting models strutting down the runway. While intended to highlight the apparel, these fashion shows, and the models walking in them, quickly garnered a cult-like following. Millions of viewers would tune in and idolize the “Victoria’s Secret Angel”. The “Angel” embodied a fantasy woman, encapsulating glamor and femininity, significantly shaping American beauty standards. The “it girl” beauty of various Victoria’s Secret angels, like Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, and Adrianna Lima, propelled them to household stardom. Overtime, these shows evolved into events, featuring performances from A-list artists like Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, and Nicki Minaj.
At its peak in 2016, the brand generated over $7 billion in profit. However, after a comment in 2018 from the brand’s former chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, disregarding transgender and plus-sized models as ineligible angels, many began to question the fashion show's place in American fashion and media. In a period of growing inclusivity and representation in popular culture, these comments put off many viewers. Many women began to question why they should even support a brand that does not deem their bodies worthy enough for the runway. Ultimately, these controversies culminated in the show’s cancellation in 2019 and a rapid decline in the brand’s popularity and profit.
Yet, as seen this year, there is always an ability for change and growth.
After receiving backlash, Razek stepped down from his role. Despite the controversy, the allure of the annual show and the iconic angels survived, and as years without the show passed, people became nostalgic for it. TikTok was a huge hub for this reminiscing, featuring posts of makeup tutorials, Halloween costumes, and fan edits of the iconic “Victoria’s Secret Angel”. Eventually, there was a significant demand for a comeback of the Victoria's Secret fashion show. Finally, in 2023, the brand teased its runway return with a reimagined fashion show on Prime Video called “Victoria’s Secret Tour: ‘23”. The documentary-style video went to four different cities, highlighting different creators and promoting inclusivity in its casting. This film worked to rebrand the company and openly discussed themes of queerness, womanhood, and body positivity, putting the company on track to revitalize its legacy.
In May of 2024, the company announced their official return to the runway, and excitement ensued. Victoria’s Secret began marketing the show extensively, even issuing limited-edition, branded MTA metro cards. On October 15th, viewers finally watched Victoria’s Secret make its long-awaited return to their screens. The company was under pressure to maintain its legacy while also redefining its brand to be more inclusive and diverse. The most important part of the show, the casting, worked to blend these two goals together. The runway featured legacy models like Taylor Hill, Candice Swanepoel, and Adriana Lima, reintroducing viewers to the “OG Angels” that initially captivated the audience. New faces were also introduced to redefine the brand and what it means to be a Victoria's Secret Angel - two transgender models, Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio, graced the runway, multiple plus-sized models, including Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser, made stunning appearances on the catwalk, and many of angels in this show were women of color.
This runway was a definitively positive shift for the lingerie company in terms of inclusion and diversity, and the classic bombshell-angel qualities shined through for all of these women. Feedback was mixed on social media, some saying they missed the usual bouncy blowouts, glitter, and interactiveness of previous shows. Others applauded VS’s move towards inclusivity and having the show back, while many users contended that there was not enough diversity included. Some argued that the show should never come back, but overall, people did seem to agree that it was at least a step in the right direction. All of the buzz around this latest show reestablished how important inclusion is in the fashion world and that it is what consumers want to see.
Ultimately, this show was a solid comeback for the company. With positive feedback surrounding the castings, it will be incredibly interesting to see how Victoria’s Secret runways continue to evolve over the years. This show has opened the door for a revitalized future and preservation of the Victoria’s Secret fashion show legacy. Now, the company has an opportunity to take the feedback and further redefine its image, celebrate womanhood, and establish what it really looks like to be a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
Strike out,
Strike St. Louis
Written by: Ben Stull
Edited by: Talia Zakalik, Jordan Siegel, and Emily Bekesh