Victoria's Secret returns with angel-filled runway show after six-year hiatus

Everyone loves a comeback, right? That's what Victoria's Secret was counting on for the return of its infamous runway show that ended abruptly in 2019, so the company could “evolve the brand's message,” according to an article in Fortune magazine.

It also had something to do with dismal ratings after the 2018 show, when former CMO Ed Razek told Vogue he wouldn't cast a transgender model, and, most infamously, a “cancellation” of sorts, thanks to the former L Brands CEO Lex Wexner's association with sex trafficker and criminal Jeffrey Epstein. Between that and the pandemic, the brand has closed approximately 350 stores in the last five years.

Despite these setbacks, and a changing lingerie retail landscape with stores like Intimissimi and Etam coming to the United States and independent lingerie brands like Skims, Cuup, ThirdLove, Natori and Agent Provocateur gaining market share, Victoria's Secret still earned 6,200 billion in 2023, even if it is lower than a maximum of 7.8 billion in 2016.

The brand tested the entertainment waters last year in an Amazon Prime documentary, 'Victoria's Secret: The Tour 2023', but on Tuesday night returned to the live format. Using the Brooklyn Navy Yard, practical for production but impractical for transportation, to create its live television stage, the event promoted a new women-centered approach, which translated most visibly in the musical performances headlined by Cher , 78, with other artists, Lisa also known as Lalisa Manobal and South African Tyla also took the stage. VIP guests in attendance included Queen Latifah, Jodie Turner-Smith, Ice Spice and Teyana Taylor.

The show boasted of inclusivity to clean up its image, interpreted as bringing angels and supermodels of all eras and ages to walk the runway. Namely, notable angels like Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel and Tyra Banks, who MC'd the show and closed it out (although if you hadn't followed Ms. Banks in recent years, it was easy to mistake her for someone else). )

Other notables included Gigi Hadid, who opened the show with giant articulated pink wings that looked dangerously close to toppling the model; his sister Bella spruced up the joint with a red feather evening jacket number and gestured toward Cher when she was performing on the track; former french first lady Carla Bruni, who at 56 years old could have topped the age diversity scale, Valentina Sampaio and Alex Consani debuted as the first transgender women to walk in the show, and Kate Mosswho left everything visible in a black lace dress. (Moss was among several top models who walked only one stretch of the runway, rather than turning around and coming back the other way, perhaps out of contract?)

With 50 models in total, the diversity boxes also had to do with body type, even if they were a size 0 or 14, they all had spectacular physiques and came from different backgrounds in over 25 countries. This means that the lineup wasn't all that revolutionary in today's runway casting trends; however, accessories for several natural and curly hair worn by BIPOC models like the stunning Imaan Hammam.

The aesthetics of the show were an enigma in itself. Lingerie shows easily go off the scale of class and sophistication. This veered deeply into a cheesy Las Vegas showgirl review from the start, with each look trying to top the concept of the wing motif, exquisitely originated by feather master Martín Izquierdo in the '90s, with strange gadgets of all kinds dangling of women's backs. To be fair, the typical fashion show review press is not the audience the lingerie giant is looking for.

This beloved designer Zaldy Goco, a fashion and costume designer known for his expertise in theater design.—designed the show. Her clients include Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga, Cirque Du Soleil and the late Michael Jackson. He's an immense and in-demand talent, but perhaps the sheer number of looks that had to be independent added up to an overload of ideas.

If the idea of ​​the female-led production was to see the show through the female gaze, the consensus is that women have the same ideas and fantasies about having the showgirl vibe. The good thing is that Halloween is just around the corner and the program offers many ideas to celebrate the holiday. Many of the outfits were apparently purely for show, while others were available on the brand's website immediately after the show, a clever sales tactic.

Lisa opened the show, emerging from one of the retractable floor panels on the back of an angelic motorcycle, and gave two stellar performances (with the help of a group of butt-baring dancers) as did Tyla, who wowed several models for them to stop and interact. . The floor panels caused a problem for one model whose shoe became caught in the mechanism. A particularly low moment was the 'tough and sleek' black bike styling section, where performer Orianthi apparently attempted to lip-sync and play air guitar to Joan Jett's 'I Love Rock'n'Roll' and 'Are You Gonna ' by Lenny Kravtiz. Follow my path.'

Thank goodness for Cher's impeccable rendition of 'Strong Enough' and 'Believe', aided by backup dancers dressed in outfits that looked almost presidential in comparison, who brought the house down. After all, the only person who can rock sequins, crystals, feathers, and headpieces on simple outfits and make them look great is Cherilyn Sarkisian.