Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. It was an annual televised fashion show and marketing spectacle produced by the lingerie retailer Victoria's Secret. Broadcast globally, the event featured the brand's signature Angels and other top supermodels wearing elaborate lingerie, Fantasy Bras, and thematic wings, set to performances by major musical artists. The show became a pop culture phenomenon, defining an era of glamour in the fashion industry but also facing significant criticism before entering a prolonged hiatus.

History and evolution

The first iteration was a modest department store presentation at New York's Plaza Hotel in 1995. Under the direction of marketing executive Ed Razek and with the patronage of Les Wexner of Limited Brands, the event was transformed into a major televised production. The inaugural televised broadcast occurred on CBS in 2001, filmed at the Bryant Park tents during New York Fashion Week. Throughout the 2000s, the show expanded in scale and ambition, moving to iconic venues like the Cannes Hôtel de Paris and the Lexington Avenue Armory. The 2010s saw the spectacle reach its zenith with broadcasts from locations such as London, Paris, and Shanghai, featuring increasingly elaborate sets and A-list musical guests like Taylor Swift, Kanye West, and Lady Gaga.

Format and production

Each show was structured into distinct thematic segments, such as "Glamour Goddesses" or "Punk Angels," with matching set designs, music, and choreography. Key annual features included the reveal of the multi-million dollar Fantasy Bra, worn by a selected Angel, and the "Snow Angels" segment with its signature silver-white aesthetic. The production involved hundreds of personnel, including creative directors like Sophia Neophitou, choreographers such as Mary Helen Bowers, and a team of fitters and dressers. The broadcast itself was a highly edited package, blending runway footage with backstage interviews and model profiles, later distributed internationally through networks like CBS and Global Television Network.

Notable models and Angels

The show cemented the careers of the Victoria's Secret Angels, a contracted group of spokesmodels who received prominent placement. Early Angels included Tyra Banks, who opened the first televised show, Heidi Klum, and Gisele Bündchen. The "Golden Age" of the 2000s featured icons like Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Karolína Kurková. Later years introduced a new generation, including Candice Swanepoel, Behati Prinsloo, and Lily Aldridge. Non-Angel supermodels like Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, and Kendall Jenner also frequently walked, while the "PINK" segment often showcased younger models such as Elsa Hosk and Taylor Hill.

Cultural impact and criticism

At its peak, the broadcast was a major ratings success for CBS, often drawing over 10 million viewers in the United States and shaping beauty standards worldwide. It propelled models to global fame and influenced trends in lingerie and cosmetics. However, the show faced intensifying criticism for its lack of body diversity and inclusivity, with figures like Robin Givhan of *The Washington Post* critiquing its narrow ideal. The 2018 show, hosted by Karlie Kloss, saw its U.S. viewership plummet to a record low of 3.3 million, reflecting shifting cultural values. Major criticism also emerged from the 2019 interview of Ed Razek in *Vogue*, his comments, and the broader association with the Jeffrey Epstein scandal involving Les Wexner.

Hiatus and relaunch

In November 2019, Victoria's Secret announced an indefinite hiatus for the televised special, citing the need for a brand evolution. This followed the cancellation of the 2019 show and a period of significant corporate and public relations turmoil. In 2021, the company launched "Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers" and announced a rebranding effort away from the Angels. A new format, titled "The Victoria's Secret World Tour," was unveiled in 2023, featuring a documentary-style series on Amazon Prime Video that spotlighted a diverse collective of artists, athletes, and models like Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Naomi Osaka, aiming to present a radically different image from the original spectacle.

Category:Fashion shows Category:Television specials Category:1995 American television series debuts Category:2018 American television series endings