The glitz and glamour of the Victoria Secret Fashion Show returned wrapped in pink satin after a 6 year hiatus in 2024. This year’s show marked the 30th anniversary in sparkling lights, with the ethics having undergone a much-needed reform since the conception in the 1990s. The star studded stage in Brooklyn, New York was home to a multitude of glamorous women, prepping in rollers and the iconic robes backstage. The models were joined by a set of all female performers who stunned the catwalk, representing the new era of Victoria’s Secret. Gen-Z pop-artist Madison Beer opened up, followed by girl group Twice during the VS-PINK section. This stunning ensemble of women became the first K-pop group to be a part of the show. Last but not least, 90s R&B icon Missy Elliot and Colombian reggaeton artist Karol G closed off.
These selections brought the diversity the Victoria’s Secret audience called for, not only in musical genre, but rich cultural differences and a beautiful mix of body types and ages, illustrating the way women are being represented more inclusively with the re-launch. New CEO Hillary Super wanted the show to truly embrace the lingerie brand’s main identity, glamour and sex appeal.
Changes were made at all levels for the brand to reshape from its previous failures, after intense online feedback that called for more diversity in body types, ethnicity and representation. They wanted a modern version of femininity, with the magic of the original angels. Viewers lamented the loss of the quintessential angel look, and were not fans of slick back hair and moodier makeup. So this year they came back bigger and better – ultra feminine, with iconic celebrity makeup artist Pat Mcgrath channeling the OG early 2000s frosty pink lips, excesses of highlighter, bronzy bases and sparkly inner corners. Jawara Wauchope led the hair team, describing his goal for the looks to be modern, sleek, and voluminous blowout with a sexy finish, incorporating voluminous waves and curls while keeping the ends sleek. Together, they embraced the classic glamour and nailed the perfectly tousled, glowing look the audience called for. This year we saw the return of beloved Victoria’s Secret icons such as Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes, Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldrige and more, mixed in with many new faces. A lot of firsts graced the runway, including Jasmine Tookes being the first pregnant woman to open the show, and two professional athletes, WNBA star Angel Reese and olympian Suni Lee walking for the first time. Alex Consani returned for the second year as an openly transgender model, alongside Valentina Sampaio, another transgender model who previously walked in 2019. Sampaio spoke after the show, saying that “The Victoria’s Secret family has shown the world that being trans is just as exceptional and beautiful as anyone else on that runway,”. This sentiment is shared in all aspects of the show this year, embracing all forms of modern femininity, be that through members of the LGBTQ+ community, different body types or different ethnicities, all are recognised as worthy, beautiful and celebrated. This can be in part credited to the new creative director, Adam Selman, who brought a refreshing and inclusive view of femininity to the stage.
A few of the most show-stopping looks included original angel Doutzen Kroes glimmering in a gold winged dress. Barbara Palvin stunned in two looks, a goddess-like flowing bronze dress followed by a shimmering silver dress adorned
with bejewelled wings. Anok Yai, recently named Model of the Year, brought glimmering power, draped in a diamond shrug and garters. Bella Hadid strutted the catwalk draped in red satin and lace and returned with beautiful white wings, the very picture of romantic seduction. We saw a strong emphasis on amazing muscle definition and healthy bodies, showing women across the globe that however they look, they are beautiful. Models such as Ashley Graham, Paloma Elesser and Precious Lee walked the stage, showcasing that plus sized or mid sized women are not just token diversity boxes, as many other runway shows this year have come under fire for, with a significant drop in ‘plus-sized’ models being featured in the SS26 fashion weeks.
Victoria’s Secret have shown that they are listening to their audiences and reflecting the cultural moment around the world of emphasising embracing our bodies they way are, and not just accepting them but celebrating them as sexy and glamourous. This is a stark comparison to the VS runways of the early 2000’s where every angel had to fit a very specific mould, and all the women appeared to have the exact same body type. The world is a different place now, and the show stands to empower all women.
Words by Millie Jack
Image courtesy of Mathilde Langevin (@mathildelangevin) on Unsplash
