World-famous “Angels” adorned in luxurious lingerie strut the all-star runway at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York for the annual high-energy Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2012, which aired on CBS on Dec. 4. As veteran Angels like Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel and Adriana Lima spiced up the fierce catwalk for yet another year, the show also debuted London-born models Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn for the one-hour lingerie spectacular. Celebrities and the fashion-savvy tuned in to the guilty pleasure as Victoria’s Secret divided the show into six distinct themes:
Circus kicked off the show with an artsy Cirque du Soleil-themed collection filled with flashing showtime lights for wings and bejeweled pythons, including Liu Wen’s hand-painted tattoos which took over six hours to apply.
From there, Rihanna opened the Dangerous Liaisons collection with her new hit-single “Diamonds,” donning a long black dress with pearl sunglasses. As she soulfully sang the minor keys, the Angels showed off lacy pastel bras and donned black-trimmed skirts with gold jewelry. Pops of neon pink and yellow also broke up some muted shades and the toned-down ambiance.
The middle marker was a theme titled Calendar Girls, featuring a model representing each month of the year. Angels were dressed as a ribbon-strewn Maypole for May, a June bride, a fiery Valentine’s Day cupid for February and more. However, due to a controversy over the Native American-inspired ensemble worn by Karlie Kloss for November, the month was taken out of the live broadcast. Bruno Mars accentuated the excitement in the background with his song “Locked Out of Heaven.”
For Victoria’s Secret teenage line PINK, pop singer Justin Bieber serenaded models with his hit “Beauty and the Beat.” As the section, titled Pink Ball, suggests it featured colorful stripes and sequins for the younger crowd, and costumed supermodels dressed like a cowgirl, Alice in Wonderland, a robot and a British royal guard.
As Bruno Mars crooned his “Young Girls” in the background, the supermodels prepared for the show’s next theme, Silver Screen Angels. The assortment featured a more toned-down and sensual line of underwear filled with metallic fabrics, pearl and sequin encrusted white bras and extravagant white feathers for the signature wings. Model Cameron Russell also dazzled in a sparkly gown to commemorate the 10-year-long partnership between Swarovski and Victoria’s Secret.
Angels in Bloom was the finale theme of the night, featuring nature-inspired lingerie and accessories. As the contemporary Gaea’s strutted down the runway in leaf skirts, lilac and orchid wings and red poppy underwear, Rihanna performed an upbeat “Phresh Out the Runway.” This theme also featured the bejeweled $2.5 million floral Fantasy Bra worn by Alessandra Ambrosio. Created by London Jewelers, the bra was handmade with rubies, amethysts, sapphires and a 20-carat white diamond centerpiece.
With an extravagant exhibition that would put Marie Antoinette to shame, the Angels walk off another year in the history of the famous lingerie fashion show.