16 October 2024 |
Performances by Cher, Lisa, and Tyla had the crowd cheering and singing.
It’s easy to be cynical about the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. In 2018, following plummeting ratings and a series of controversies, it seemed like the Angels were permanently hanging up their wings. Six years later, the world is a drastically different place and the brand realized it could bring back a different vision for their iconic spectacle. Last year, they soft launched a newer, more inclusive vision with Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ’23. Equal parts documentary and fashion film, it included an array of women who, in the past, would not traditionally be considered a part of the VS family. From Paloma Elsesser to Olympic athlete Eileen Gu to Honey Dijon, it was a signal that the lingerie behemoth was moving away from uniform blowouts and crash diets to individuality and body positivity. Still, there was nostalgia for the glitz and glamour of the traditional runway show and so last night, the Victoria’s Secret fashion show made a comeback in all its sparkly glory.
Comeback doesn’t mean it’s quite the same though. The brand was quick to reinforce the message that this was no longer the male gaze-centric show of years past. At the helm were two female executive producers in addition to an all-woman musical talent lineup consisting of Cher, Tyla, and Lisa and styling by Emmanuelle Alt. Also gone were the limits of broadcast television, as the night was simultaneously streamed live on both Amazon Prime (with links to buy), Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Instead of years past where phones were confiscated into sealed pouches, attendees were encouraged to post as much content as possible. The strategy is effective as even if you weren’t able to catch the show as it walked you couldn’t escape the viral clips.
As for the show itself, it was divided into five sections, with Modern Heritage being the opening sequence. Kicking off with a performance by Lisa, the K-pop idol rose up from the stage on a motorcycle, singing and dancing her way through Rockstar as Gigi Hadid opened the show. Clad in a pink romper with gigantic mechanical wings that unfurled, Hadid was quickly followed by VS-favorite Doutzen Kroes, who recovered from a shoe malfunction like a pro. To close out the segment, who else but Adriana Lima? From there Twinkle featured a performance by Tyla. Opening with Candice Swanepoel, it also marked the runway debut for the likes of Andreea Diaconu, Lila Moss (clad in a special look by Joseph Altuzarra), and Alex Consani.
Heroes was the moment that inspired the most gasps from the crowd as Kate Moss emerged from backstage. Also to note were other Victoria’s Secret Angels like Behati Prinsloo, Irina Shayk, and Joan Smalls. From there Atelier marked another performance by Lisa, with Ashley Graham opening and another surprise, with the likes of Eva Herzigova and Carla Bruni making appearances, with the latter closing out this segment. And finally, no one else but Cher could cap off the night. Unwrap the Magic, the final portion of the evening, featured the musical icon performing Strong Enough and Believe as the likes of Rianna Van Rompaey, Vittoria Ceretti, and Elsesser made their way down the catwalk. In a surprising turn, Bella Hadid was the last model out, in a massive caped creation.
Being that it’s a Victoria’s Secret show, there’s always one more big moment: the finale. As the final nostalgic note, Tyra Banks emerged from the trap door as the closing walk. With confetti falling from the skies, the rest of the cast joined her — a fitting end to VS’ revival.
