After a five year hiatus, they are back! The iconic Victoria’s Secret runway show is set for a comeback on Oct. 15 in New York City. The announcement was made on May 15, through an Instagram post.
The line up will include models like Gigi Hadid, Candice Svanempoel, and the legendary Tyra Banks. Artists such as Tyla, Lisa and the evergreen Cher make up their musical performance, making them the first all female line up in the history of the show.
The show was first canceled in 2019 due to a series of controversies and poor ratings: a sea of scandals with executives, decline in sales, and the wave of criticism, being considered sexist, clashing with the rise of the #MeToo and body positivity movement at that time.
The downfall of Victoria’s Secret started in 2018 after Ed Razek, the then chief marketing for L. Brands (Victoria’s Secret’s parent company, they used to control their ownership), stated in an interview with Vogue that he had no interest in casting plus-size and “transsexual” models, and that they don’t embody the “fantasy” that Victoria’s Secret is trying to sell.
Additionally, in 2020, The New York Times conducted an investigation on Victoria’s Secret and their executives that unveiled a series of harassment stories, done mainly by Ed Razek. Everything came like an avalanche, which led to the fall in sales and the cancelation of the 2019 fashion show.
In 2023, Victoria’s Secret attempted a comeback with the documentary “The Tour ‘23” that diverged from the brand’s usual format, it showcased various body types, ethnicities, and looks. However, it failed terribly, suffering huge backlash from the public.
One of the main criticisms was, ironically, the body variety. “The whole point of being an angel is being unachievable” comments flooded their Instagram replies. An enormous contrast to what was being asked in 2018/2019.
Another huge criticism is that they didn’t have any of the glamour, attractiveness, and the magic of the whole show. The wings were boring and the outfits were terrible, everything diverged from the classical show and people were very upset about it.
Putting last year’s disaster behind, the brand’s press release states that they heard their public. “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is BACK and will reflect who we are today, plus everything you know and love – the glamor, runway, wings, musical entertainment, and more!” as the brand said in their comeback post in their Instagram page.
But who are they today? Since parting ways with L. Brands in 2021. The lingerie brand has been making efforts to clean their image and repaint themselves as an inclusive brand. In a FAQ published on the same day as the announcement, they claim that the new format will be inclusive and that they are “focused on celebrating and supporting all women”.
However, the announcement came in a time where the body positive movement is taking a hit. Diet culture is making a comeback. The rise of weight loss drugs, the adoration of the ultra-skinny body, and trends like “heroin chic” marks 2024. If the public already reacted horribly to the 2023 show, how will they react now, taking in consideration today’s trends?
A Victoria’s Secret’s spokesperson added to the comeback announcement, stating that the 2024 show will “deliver precisely what the customers have been asking for.” Nevertheless, therein lies the question: What customers? The 2018/2019 body positive customers, or the 2024 Ozempic customers? Do they want to continue pleasing the same customers as the earlier shows, or do they want to change their target audience?
The Victoria’s Secret 2024 fashion show is a big question mark. The way the brand makes and advertises the show, as well as the way the public reacts to it will be very telling of the state of the “body positive” movement nowadays. Will they declare the time of death of the movement, or will they bring it back? You and I will just have to wait and see.