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Gigi and Bella Hadid during the 2024 Victoria\'s Secret Fashion Show
Gigi and Bella Hadid during the 2024 Victoria\'s Secret Fashion Show
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Victoria\'s Secret
Culture > Entertainment

The 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Has The Internet Divided

Makalah Wright
Siobhan Robinson

Nearly six years after the last Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show graced television screens in 2018, and almost five years since its subsequent cancellation in 2019, the Victoria Secret Fashion Show returned on Oct. 15, this time with a complete rebranding.

In May 2024, Victoria’s Secret’s Instagram page teased that the show was making a comeback and provided a message that reflected their new runway perspective in the caption, writing, “We’ve read the comments and heard you. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is BACK and will reflect who we are today, plus everything you know and love — the glamour, runway, wings, musical entertainment, and more!”

When this year’s fashion show finally aired, many were happy it had returned with an all-female musical lineup and diverse models. On the other hand, others felt that the emergence of the fashion show was not needed.

Before delving into fans’ reactions to the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, we need to first recognize why the show was canceled in the first place. The 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show had the lowest overall rating performance, with 3.27 million live audience viewers, dropping half of its viewership over the course of two years. What was the reason? In 2018, the runway show was clouded by controversy when former L Brands chief marketing officer Ed Razek made transphobic comments about not wanting transgender models to walk the VSFS. He also commented on the lack of plus-size models in the show, stating that the event does “not market to the whole world.” These comments did not go over well with the general public, prompting Razek to apologize and the show’s plug being pulled. 

Fast forward to the 2024 VSFS, and the show made strides to move past this controversy by highlighting the diversity of women. The fashion show included Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio, who made history as the first transgender models to walk the runway in the show’s 29-year history. VSFS also highlighted more body positivity and inclusion amongst the models, notably Paloma Elsesser and Ashley Graham. To symbolize the brand’s revival, renowned models such as Adriana Lima, Kate Moss, Tyra Banks, Taylor Hill, and Alessandra Ambrosio made their returns to the runway. 

@missfanoff2

#tyrabanks closes the show🪽#vsfashionshow #vsfs #victoriassecret #victoriassecretfashionshow2024 #fyp #pourtoi

♬ son original – Miss fan off

All of the models seemed to enjoy strutting the once-legendary runway. However, a lot of fans have had mixed feelings about the entirety of the fashion show. 

For starters, most people pointed out that the models didn’t wear anything that was appealing or memorable. Some even noted a lack of signature moments that the show is known for, including a yearly theme and the inclusion of a “Fantasy Bra.” In case you didn’t know, The Fantasy Bra is a jewel-encrusted piece worn by a top model each year, but it seems this concept was dropped due to its outdated connotations. 

Not only that, but fans also pointed out that the stage didn’t fit the overall aesthetic of the show.

Other critics, such as tiktoker Lauren Ashley Beck, focused on the runway stage design. “I thought the stage was weird,” Beck said in a TikTok about the runway show. “I think that’s what it was — the dancers were great, the performances were great, but it didn’t feel like an actual runway. It felt more like a stage performance.”

@laurenashleybeck

Victorias Secret Fashion Show??? #victoriassecretfashionshow #victoriassecret

♬ original sound – Lauren Ashley Beck

Meanwhile, other viewers complimented the show for its apparent growth, with some pointing out that the runway show’s business must continue to grow to maintain its original status.  

@hannah.zepeda

It’s about damn time! this representation IS SO IMPORTANT!! 🥹 CURVY BODIES ARE JUST AS WORTHY TO WALK RUNWAYS! 🗣️🗣️🗣️ #plussize #vsfashionshow #victoriassecretfashionshow #vsfs #vsangel #curvybodies #representationmatters #foryou #fyp #ashleygraham #bodypositivity #curvygirl #plussizeedition #plussizefashion #plussizemodel

♬ Being a Girl – Jonica
@alykima

for anyone who thought the show was “underwhelming”🪽🎀 #victoriassecretfashionshow #vsfs #vsangels

♬ original sound – Aly Kima
@luvlainey11

i have complicated feelings about victoria’s secret as a brand but the fashion show is undeniably fun to watch

♬ original sound – luvlainey

If the show makes a comeback next year, I’m sure people will have a lot to say about that one too.

Makalah Wright is the Campus Correspondent at Her Campus at UWG chapter. For the chapter, she has written personal essays about real-life experiences and she encourages readers to take inspiration or learn from it. Beyond her position as the CC, she is also a national writer for the wellness section of the website. So far, she has written articles based on mental health, relationships, and other wellness-related topics. Currently, she is the fall 2024 entertainment and culture intern for Her Campus. She is a senior at the University of West Georgia, studying in public relations with a minor in music. After her undergrad, she plans to get a masters in public relations and work within the media industry. She also hopes to create her own foundation that will help with funding for the performing arts in schools. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with loved ones, shopping, traveling to new places, and drinking iced coffee. She also enjoys playing the clarinet and listening to all types of music, specifically jazz.
Siobhan Robinson is a member of the Her Campus national writing program. She works on the Entertainment and Culture team, covering the most recent pop culture events, trends, and entertainment releases. Previously, she worked as an Entertainment and Culture intern during the Spring 2023 semester, where she was supervised in writing breaking news verticals, live coverage of events such as the Grammys and Met Gala, and interviewing emerging Gen Z talent for Her Campus's "Next Questions" segment. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in Communication Studies from San Jose State University and received communication honors for completing a graduate-level course during her undergraduate studies. While in college, she was an active member of the SJSU chapter of Her Campus, serving on the executive board as Editor-In-Chief. In this role, she supervised a team of writers, senior editors, and copy editors, and assessed their articles for the site. Previously, she served as a senior editor, supervising a team of 4-5 writers, and also worked as a campus correspondent for the entire chapter. Additionally, she contributed to the school's publication magazine, Access, and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. In her free time, Siobhan enjoys scrapbooking, hanging out with friends, going to concerts, and, of course, writing for fun! A die-hard fangirl, she loves sharing everything she knows about her favorite boy bands, even if you don't ask. If you need her, you'll likely find her binge-watching the latest K-drama.