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On Tuesday, Victoria’s Secret brought back its runway show at the Dougal Conservatory at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York.
Model Doutzen Kroes gets her heel caught in the gap on stage at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show held at the Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, New York on October 15, 2024.
Lara Ewen/Fashion Dive
The event featured the brand’s veteran runway stars, including models Alessandra Ambrosio, Doutzen Kroes, Behati Prinsloo and Candice Swanpaugh. Celebrities in the front row included musicians Cardi B, Ice Spice, Queen Latifah, Tyga, stylist Law Roach, fashion designers Joseph Altuzarra, Jenna Lyons and Laquan Smith.
The show was aimed at revamping the brand’s image, which has been tarnished in recent years by controversy and criticism over its narrow view of beauty.
Much of the damage the company faced was self-inflicted.
In July 2018, the New York Times reported that L Brands CEO Leslie H. Wexner had ties to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. A month later, the company canceled its long-running fashion show. And in November of the same year, Edward Razek, chief marketing officer of L Brands, said in an interview with Vogue that no one was interested in seeing plus-size models on the Victoria’s Secret runway, and that no one was interested in seeing plus-size models on the Victoria’s Secret runway. said transgender models should not be featured.
Drastic changes continued, including Mr. Razek’s resignation in 2019. In 2021, Victoria’s Secret became independent from L Brands. But in 2023, a test balloon for the fashion show’s reboot was sent through a feature film titled “Victoria’s Secret The Tour ’23.”
The show has now fully resumed, and organizers said in a May announcement that they had made some changes.
“We read the comments and listened to you,” the company’s Instagram post said. “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is back, reflecting everything you know and love, plus who we are today.”
Even if Tuesday’s show was meant to reflect that promise, it did so only in spirit.
There was certainly more diversity than in previous years. The show was the first to feature models over 40, including the runway debut of former French first lady Carla Bruni, who at 56 became the oldest model to appear in a Victoria’s Secret show.
Former First Lady of France Carla Bruni walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
Model Kate Moss walks the runway as musician Orianthi performs during the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, New York on October 15, 2024.
Lara Ewen/Fashion Dive
Isabeli Fontana, 41, was also there. Adriana Lima, 43 years old. Other models over 50 included Kate Moss, 50, who made her runway debut for the brand, appearing shortly after model daughter Lily Moss. Eva Herzigova (51) also appeared, and Tyra Banks (50) closed the show to cheers from the audience.
Models Arat Jajpah, Shu Wei, Kai Soleil, and Behati Prinsloo stand backstage at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show held at Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, New York on October 15, 2024. Doutzen Kroes.
Slaven Vlasic (via Getty Images)
Model Paloma Elsesser walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show held at Duggal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Lara Ewen/Fashion Dive
For the first time, plus-size models from the US, ranging from dress sizes 8 to 16, were featured, including Ashley Graham, Paloma Elsesser, Kai Soleil, Devin Garcia and Jill Courtlave. Still, all of them were more exposed than other models during the show. , wore skirts, sarongs, robes, leggings, capes, and briefs, as opposed to the string thongs seen on many of their colleagues.
Model Ashley Graham walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
According to the 2024 MYS Insights 2024 report, the average American woman is a size 14, and the majority of women in the United States wear a size 16 or larger.
Model Valentina Sampaio walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
The runway also saw the debut of two transgender models, Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio, marking a notable departure from the company’s previous position.
Model Alex Consani walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
Additionally, an all-female lineup of musicians included performances from Cher, Orianthi, Tyra, and Blackpink’s Lisa. Wings have also regained momentum, with 30 variations seen on the runway.
Musician Lisa of the group “Blackpink” performs at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to be held at Dougal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, New York on October 15, 2024.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
Musician Cher performs at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, New York on October 15, 2024.
Lara Ewen/Fashion Dive
But despite the brand’s commitment to DEI, the show fell short of its lofty goals. Of the 52 models in the show, only 10 showed any change in previous policies, reflecting Victoria’s Secret’s previously expressed interest in supporting adaptive fashion. There were no models at all.
Model Gigi Hadid walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
That said, the show certainly helped boost the brand’s buzz. According to influencer marketing platform Traackr, the October 13th to October 16th event saw a 57,873% increase in creator content engagement and 23,717% increase in creator content video views compared to the same period last month. Increased.
Model Adriana Lima walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
That could help boost the company’s sluggish profits. Victoria’s Secret revised its full-year outlook in its latest earnings report, now expecting fiscal 2024 net sales to be down about 1% year-over-year, compared with previous guidance for a low-single-digit decline. said.
Model Imaan Hammam walks the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Duggal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Dimitrios Cambris (via Getty Images)
Simeon Siegel, managing director at BMO Capital Markets, said the show, the first under new CEO Hilary Super, will be “more female-led and more focused on a single version of ‘beauty. “It was not limited to “.
Still, a recurrence may not be a given.
“There is still a possibility that this program will be rebroadcast next year, as management evaluates whether this program is an appropriate medium for messaging and whether every 12 months is an appropriate time period. “We do not believe there is,” he said in a note to clients on Thursday.
Models walk the runway at the end of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show at Dougal Greenhouse on October 15, 2024 in Brooklyn, New York.
Lara Ewen/Fashion Dive
