Victoria's Secret "Icon" Collection Proves That Everyone Is Into OG Supermodels Again

Victoria's Secret, a name synonymous with glamor and sex appeal, has etched its legacy in the fashion and beauty industry. For decades, Victoria's Secret models have captivated audiences worldwide. VS Angels and their near-perfect image – deemed "unrealistic" by the majority – embodied the aspirational beauty standards. In the ‘90s, when the term “supermodel” was popularized by the likes ofn Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bündchen, being just slightly overweight was damaging to a girl’s psyche. 

Don’t believe me? Kate Winslet was reportedly referred to as "Kate Weighs-A-Lot" on the set of Titanic by James Cameron, and viewers mocked her for her figure once the film premiered. “Apparently, I was too fat,” Winslet revealed in an interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “Why were they so mean to me? They were so mean. I wasn’t even f*cking fat.”

Gen Z fashion fans glamorize the model and celebrity era of the ‘90s without realizing how toxic the industry was. That said, I can empathize with the "body positivity" movement and can understand why it grew despite their extreme views. 

However, after years of being subjected to the incessant virtue signaling on beauty standards and the harmful “healthy at every weight” ideology, and finally realizing how harmful their messaging was, people are now admiring gorgeous and healthy women again. Have you ever had the same dish so many times that you grew sick of it? That’s essentially what happened here – being bombarded with images of obese women on websites, magazines, and social media accounts made young women seek aspirational content (rather than relational) once again. We are, in some way, witnessing the death of the body positivity movement, and we're moving toward more nuanced views rather than radical ones.

Going back to Victoria’s Secret, the brand is now returning to the OG supermodels, and people cannot contain their excitement. The lingerie company’s latest rebranding campaign comes years after undergoing major backlash for lack of inclusivity and alleged misogyny by former CEO Ed Razek. It really hasn't been easy for the company. In 2019, Stuart B. Burgdoerfer – VS's CFO and executive VP of the parent company – announced that their fashion show was canceled. He discussed that they're figuring out how to position the brand and appeal to customers. “It was a very important part of the brand-building of this business and was an important aspect of the brand and a remarkable marketing achievement,” Burgdoerfer said. “And with that said, we’re figuring out how to advance the positioning of the brand, and best communicate that to customers, and that’s among the things that John Mehas is focused on.”

It appears their new angle is working and getting people to talk about VS all over again. Their star-studded new "Icon" collection features classic models Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Naomi Campbell, and Gisele Bündchen. 

"ohhhhhhhh they're coming back the right way," an X user said about the announcement. 

"The earth is healing," commented @SadeBaeza.

Their Instagram post that teased "Icon" (before their big reveal of the featured big names) is full of women demanding fashion shows and wings. Others are requesting to see the original Angels again. The amount of likes and comments on their latest posts of Campbell, Lima, Bündchen, and Swanepoel seems to prove how pleased fans are.

Besides the iconic models, VS also made sure to be more inclusive this time around and showcased their bras and underwear worn by gorgeous women like Adut Akech, plus-sized model Paloma Elsesser, and Hailey Bieber. So far, “Icon” looks stunningly balanced, as all things should be. Those who want more models they can relate with are happy – and so are the women seeking aspirational imagery.

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