On Tuesday night, October 15th, 2024, Victoria’s Secret (VS), the American lingerie giant, returned live from New York with a star-studded, all-female lineup of models and musical performances. Excitement had been building on social media for weeks, with fans eagerly speculating about the lineup. Victoria’s Secret did not disappoint, bringing back iconic supermodels like Adriana Lima, Tyra Banks, and the Hadids, while also debuting Kate Moss and her daughter Lila on the runway. This event marked the end of VS’s six-year hiatus, which followed public outcry and demands for the brand's shutdown after heinous remarks about women and transgender people, made by previous leadership, were exposed in 2018.
The return certainly brought back the glitz and glam, but after watching the show, fans expressed mixed opinions. While many were excited to see Victoria’s Secret make a comeback, several took to social media to voice their complaints, critiquing everything from the set design to the models' looks. To understand why fans felt as such we must analyze the good, the bad, and the ugly of the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
The Good
To begin, VS did a commendable job delivering a production after a six-year hiatus. The company clearly made a strong effort to win back fans by assembling industry icons, which was no easy feat considering Victoria's Secret has been facing financial challenges, including a $71 million loss in the third quarter of last year. Additionally, VS made strides in inclusivity by featuring more people of color, plus-size models, and LGBTQ+ representation on the runway. Notably, Alex Cosani, the 21-year-old model and influencer, became the second transgender Angel, following Victoria Sampaio in 2019.
VS aimed to make the show even more inclusive by doing something historic: implementing a “shoppable runway.” Essentially, all of the garments showcased were available for purchase online at victoriassecret.com. For years, VS cultivated a sense of exclusivity, targeting a key demographic of thin, white women. However, the critical changes reflected in their latest show indicate that the brand is evolving to align with the shifting views of today’s society.
The Bad
After watching the show, I felt that their choice of set was disappointing. The show was held in one of the warehouses at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a stark contrast to their previous shows, which took place in more glamorous venues like the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan and other special locations such as Miami and Shanghai.
Another detail fans were quick to notice was the lack of “oomph” or grandeur in the wings some of the models wore. Specifically, Adriana Lima’s wings were noticeably torn due to an accident backstage before the show—a rather unprofessional note for VS to return on. However, to give credit where it's due, Gigi Hadid’s wings were utterly beautiful.
The Ugly
While some changes VS made worked as explored above, when looking through a critical lens, some efforts still fell short.
For one, the “shoppable runway” was an attempt at accessibility and innovation, but it may have ultimately hindered their return by limiting the looks they could curate. For example, many fans loved Lisa’s dark angel look, which was edgy and unique, yet not available for purchase. While you could buy a bedazzled bra, there were clear limitations when it came to the more show-stopping pieces.
Also, leggings at a VS show? Although they offer loungewear and athleisure in stores, such pieces do not speak to the traditional whimsical and sexy VS runway. Covering up Tyra’s curves, in particular, seemed to reinforce their outdated rhetoric that only a certain body type can wear the signature VS lingerie.
Lastly, many fans were disappointed with the slicked-back hairstyles given to the models, as they had anticipated the big, bouncy blowouts that were a hallmark of VS’s 2000s-2010s shows—during the brand's peak. While a hairstyle might seem like a minor detail, it left some viewers dissatisfied. Despite this debut being framed as a rebranded version of the fashion show, many elements felt too similar, causing fans to long for the iconic looks of the 2010s. It’s easy to draw comparisons when not much has truly changed.
Moving forward, Victoria’s Secret needs to learn how to navigate modern societal expectations while maintaining its signature allure, especially as it shares the industry with highly successful brands like Skims, which have excelled in this balance. Although VS made strides in featuring more diverse models, some fans still felt that their body type was underrepresented on the runway.
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