The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show leaned into nostalgia for its return.
The lingerie parade — canceled in 2019 amid criticism that it was outdated, sexist and lacked diversity — took place Oct. 15 at Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn, N.Y. While the focus was the same — selling undies! — the show tried to invoke a female-centric, inclusive vibe. A lot of familiar faces took the stage.
While there were certainly “normie” runway models — like the Hadid sisters, Gigi, 29, and Bella, 28 — doing their thing, the show featured added representation in its 50 models from 25 countries, of varying backgrounds, body types and ages.
Ashley Graham, the 36-year-old champion of body diversity and positivity, made her show debut, as did fellow plus-size model Paloma Elsesser, 32.
Valentina Sampaio, 27, and Alex Consani, 21, made history as the first trans models to walk in the show.
A big effort was made to bring back models with a long history with the brand. An original “Angel,” the American Tyra Banks, who retired from modeling nearly 20 years ago, “smized” her way down the runway at age 50. Adriana Lima was also back wearing wings. The Brazilian model, 43, covered many VS catalogs during her career.
The brand also tapped the catwalk queen Kate Moss for her first show ever — at age 50. The British model’s daughter, Lila Moss, also appeared, making it a family affair.
For the first time, there was also an all-female lineup of musicians. Leading them was 78-year-old Cher, performing her hits “Strong Enough” and “Believe.” The other performers were the K-pop star Lisa, 27, the South African singer Tyla, 22, and the Australian guitarist Orianthi, 39.
Before the livestream began, executive producer Janie Schaffer welcomed everybody to the show, saying it “spans the spectrum.” Schaffer also said the models were cast “for their confidence and their fierceness.”
Opening the show, Banks announced that spectators would see “a brand-new Victoria’s Secret fashion show, where women take the reins and the spotlight.”
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Reactions to bringing back the show, which was canceled amid controversy, were mixed. It did provide surprises, nostalgic moments and marginally more representation. However, some felt it didn’t go far enough, including the Teen Vogue writer Aiyana Ishmael, who said she thought it was “a lot of lip service and little action” toward greater inclusivity.
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