Victoria’s Secret tried its best to make a comeback . . . but are we still feeling the fantasy? Brand loyalists and defensive Instagram commenters will tell you its most recent fashion show (the first in six years) did everything right. In an effort to reflect “who we are today,” the 2024 catwalk featured an all-woman lineup with legendary models like Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima, and Kate Moss. We even saw a glimpse of body diversity with Paloma Elsesser and Ashley Graham, and the historic inclusion of two transgender models: Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio. Given VS’s problematic history, the show was what celebrity stylist Law Roach called “a good start,” and we’d be inclined to agree.
Still, even star performers like Cher couldn’t drown out the ghosts of former marketing chief Ed Razek’s sexist, transphobic, and fatphobic remarks, which included him claiming that “transsexual models” couldn’t be VS angels because “because the show is a fantasy.” (To which we say: a fantasy for who?) We also can’t forget about Hulu’s 2022 documentary “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons,” which brought attention to former CEO Leslie Wexner and his ties to Jeffrey Epstein (who served as Wexner’s financial manager until 2007).
Increased representation on the Victoria’s Secret runway is an undeniable win. And we enjoyed the characteristic glitz and glamour brought to us via VS fan favorites. But while the show tried its hardest to make us believe it was catering solely to the female gaze, claiming that “on the runway, it’s all about the women,” that didn’t ring completely true. In fact, it feels virtually impossible to sell that same old, male-driven fantasy without it feeling entirely out of place in 2024.
When compared to brands like Aerie, Savage X Fenty, and Skims – all of which have more fiercely pursued the kind of inclusivity, comfort, and style shoppers have routinely asked for – Victoria’s Secret’s last-ditch effort to convince us they’ve changed is a toothy grin tentatively awaiting its stamp of approval. Everyone can sit with the cool girls now, the brand promises . . . so long as they shop that five-for-$30 panty deal. But what happens when the cool girls have moved on altogether?
Admittedly, nostalgia weighs heavily on Victoria’s Secret’s ostrich feather wings. Problematic as they were, the older shows were downright fun. We think back to the days of diamond-encrusted bras, campy props, dramatic cat walks, and themed costuming. Now, somewhere along its mission to revamp for the modern era, the brand may have accidentally lost the one thing they had going for them: the sense of novelty and excitement. This year’s show felt a little like VS was trying for a do-over, when really, it could have been an opportunity to start fresh.
Moving forward, we hope to see the iconic VS glamour we know and love paired with more genuine strides for inclusion – meaning expanded sizing, more intentional representation, and proper styling across the board (and no, throwing a nightie on a model in a larger body doesn’t count). That is, if we’re really meant to believe VS has changed at all. While we can’t quite qualify the Victoria’s Secret fashion show as the splashy comeback it so desperately wanted to be, we can say it’s moving in the right direction. And in the words of Roach, that’s definitely a start.
Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for PS Health and Fitness. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she enjoys finding new ways to rock her 18(!) different eye patches, and making videos about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.
