The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show He leaned in longing to return.
The Underwear Parade – which was canceled in 2019 amid criticism that it was outdated, sexist and lacked diversity – took place on October 15 at Dugal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, NY – the focus was the same – selling undies! – The show tried to evoke a female-centric, inclusive vibe. A lot of familiar faces took the stage.
While there were certainly “normie” runway models like the Hadid sisters, Gigi, 29, and Bella, 28, the show included representation of various backgrounds, body types and ages among its 50 models from 25 countries.
Ashley Graham, 36, has become a champion of body diversity and positivity, as did fellow plus-size model Paloma Elsaesser, 32, who made her show debut.
Valentina Sampaio, 27, and Alex Conzani, 21, made history as the first trans models to take part in the show.
A major effort was made to bring back models that have a long history with the brand. An original “Angel,” American Tyra Banks, who retired from modeling nearly 20 years ago, “smacked” her way down the runway at age 50. Adriana Lima also wore wings. The Brazilian model, 43, has covered several VS catalogs during her career.
The brand tapped catwalk queen Kate Moss for her first show — at age 50. British model’s daughter Leila Moss also made an appearance, making it a family affair.
For the first time, there was an all-female lineup of musicians. Leading the charge was Cher, 78, who performed hits like “Strong Enough” and “Believe.” Other performers include K-pop star Lisa, 27, South African singer Tyla, 22, and Australian guitarist Orianthi, 39.
Before the livestream began, executive producer Johnny Shafer welcomed everyone to the show, saying it “spanned the spectrum.” Shaffer also said the models were cast “for their confidence and their fierceness.”
Kicking off the show, Banks announced that viewers would witness a “brand-new Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show where women make headlines and steal the spotlight.”
Reactions to bringing back the show, which was canceled amid controversy, have been mixed. It offered surprises, nostalgic moments and somewhat over-representation. However, some felt it didn’t go far enough, including Teen Vogue writer Ayanna Ismail, who said she thought it was “a lot of lip service and little action” towards more content.
