Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Is Coming Back After A 4-Year Hiatus, And People Have Some Concerns
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was known as the huge annual event that showcased some of the most gorgeous women and beautiful lingerie fashion. After taking a 4-year break, it's making a return. But many people are concerned it won't ever be what it once was.
There's a long list of beautiful women who have walked down the runway of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: Adriana Lima, Kendall Jenner, Jasmine Tookes, Gigi Hadid, Taylor Hill, Behati Prinsloo, and more. But while many people enjoyed watching these genetically blessed women strut in front of the camera wearing elaborate lingerie, the show was called off in 2019. There were some controversies circulating Victoria's Secret name (such as a former executive being accused of sexual harassment), the company's sales were declining, and the fashion show's ratings were also declining. This was also the time when the Victoria's Secret Angel title was dropped in response to people complaining that the brand wasn't inclusive enough. However, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is making a comeback, leaving many people speculating how different the show will look in 2023.
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Is Coming Back after a 4-Year Hiatus, and People Have Some Concerns
The first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was held in 1995, and it has always featured popular artists such as The Weeknd, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, and Maroon 5. But there has recently been much criticism of the brand and its fashion show; people complain about the lack of inclusivity. Edward Razek, former chief marketing officer, was accused of creating a "culture of misogyny, bullying, and harassment." He was also under fire for saying that plus-size women and transgender models wouldn't ever be featured in the fashion shows "because the show is a fantasy."
A 2022 docuseries on Hulu called Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons shed light on issues of sexism and body-shaming that took place when former owner Leslie Wexner (who apparently had ties to Jeffrey Epstein) was in charge. Allegedly, models were made to feel uncomfortable about their bodies. Victoria's Secret issued a statement saying that they are a "different company, with a new leadership team," so these issues are in the past.
"This transformation is a journey, and our work continues to become the Victoria's Secret our customers and associates deserve—where everyone feels seen, respected, and valued," they said.
On Friday, Victoria's Secret CFO, Timothy Johnson, made an announcement that the fashion show is coming back this year, and it will be better than ever. “We’re going to continue to lean into the marketing spend to invest in the business, both at top-of-funnel and also to support the new version of our fashion show, which is to come later this year," he said. A spokesperson from the brand added that they are “always innovating and ideating in all spheres of the business to continue to put our customer at the center of all we do and reinforce our commitment to championing women’s voices and their unique perspectives.”
But after all the accusations of not being inclusive enough, many people are anticipating that the show will be riddled with progressive political statements, and thus the runway will be full of transgender models and morbidly obese women who claim to represent body positivity. Many Twitter accounts are already mocking the potential "inclusion" that is going to appear, such as popular transgender content creators like Dylan Mulvaney and Jeffrey Marsh walking down the runway.
Many people are yearning for the days when fashion shows featured beautiful women who were actually women and who weren't struggling with a metabolic disorder. Some suspect that the company's attempt to grovel at the feet of progressive activists will result in lower ratings than they've ever seen and even more fans promising to never buy from the brand again.