Skip to main content

Victoria’s Secret's Downfall: Lack of Diversity and the Reimagined Fashion Show That Aims to Save the Brand

by Ally McLaren


For 23 years, Victoria's Secret dazzled the world with its extravagant annual Fashion Show, but in 2019, the event was abruptly canceled. 


This decision, however, wasn't entirely surprising. The brand had faced mounting criticism for its lack of diversity, which contributed to declining ratings and scandals behind the scenes. 


Now, Victoria's Secret is attempting to reinvent itself with a new fashion show concept. Will this be enough to save the brand from its troubled past?



The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was once renowned for its bejeweled bras, angel wings, and A-list performances. Despite thus, its popularity waned due to the brand's refusal to embrace diversity. 


Public outcry intensified in 2018 when the show's organizer, Edward Razek, made controversial remarks about not featuring plus-size or transgender models, suggesting it didn't align with the brand's fantasy image. 


Moreover, revelations about the brand's former CEO's ties to Jeffrey Epstein further tarnished Victoria's Secret's reputation.



Victoria's Secret cultivated a fantasy that buying their products could make anyone look like a Victoria's Secret Angel. An illusion that shattered when it became evident that the brand predominantly showcased thin, white models. Instead of addressing the lack of diversity, the decision was made to cancel the show altogether.


In the wake of Victoria's Secret's downfall, inclusive fashion shows like Rihanna's Savage X Fenty emerged. Since its launch in 2018, Savage X Fenty has celebrated models of all sizes, ages, skin tones, and genders, including trans individuals, nonbinary people, and drag queens. The success of Savage X Fenty, with its emphasis on representation and glamourization, demonstrated the audience's desire for inclusivity on a grand scale.


Victoria's Secret is attempting a comeback with its "Victoria's Secret World Tour." The brand plans to transform its fashion show into a feature-length film that merges fashion, film, art, and culture. The film will follow VS20, a group of 20 global creatives who will curate fashion from Bogota, Lagos, London, and Tokyo. The result will be an internationally streamed fashion show and a live fashion event featuring Victoria's Secret's original designs.


The reimagined show presents an opportunity for diverse global designers to shine and showcases a new generation of talent from different cultures. It signifies a positive step for Victoria's Secret, using its platform to embrace a fresh wave of fashion and inclusivity. However, questions remain about whether this new approach truly reflects a change in the brand's values or if it's merely an attempt to avoid diversifying body types. Exclusivity has always been Victoria's Secret's core identity, but in a landscape led by shows like Savage X Fenty, performative inclusivity alone may not be enough to rescue the brand from its troubled past.



The brand has also paired with powerhouse PR firm, Good Culture, who have stripped the company from the inside out - meaning the Victoria’s Secret board is now made up of 99% female members. 


As well this, the Angels are scrapped. Their replacement? The VS Collective - partnering with reliable entrepreneurs and activists, most notably Priyanka Chopra Jonas alongside Megan Rapinoe,   Adut Akech, Paloma Elsesser, Amanda de Cadenet, and Elieen Gu. Importantly,  

LGBTQ model and activist Valentina Sampaio, the first transgender model to be featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, is also a key player in the VS Collective.


Victoria's Secret's lack of diversity led to its downfall, but the brand is now attempting a revival with a reimagined fashion show. While this signifies progress, it remains to be seen whether Victoria's Secret is genuinely committed to promoting a more inclusive message or if it's merely a strategy to maintain its traditional ideals. 


As the fashion industry shifts towards embracing diversity, Victoria's Secret must go beyond surface-level changes if it wants to reclaim its former glory and regain the trust of its audience.


Edited by Emily Duff

Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular

‘Make Tattooing Safe Again’: Sheffield Based Tattoo Artist Exposed for Indecent Behaviour

 by Emily Fletcher TW: SA, Animal Abuse, Transphobia Photo Credit: @ meiko_akiz uki Recently, an  Instagram account  has been created to provide a  ‘space to safely give a voice to those who want to speak out about the behaviour of one, Sheffield based tattoo artist’. A  total of 40+ posts have been made by the above social media account regarding  one of Sheffield's most popular tattoo artists .  Thankfully, all posts are prefaced with a Content Warning prior to sharing screenshots of the messages that have been sent anonymously to the page. The majority of Content Warnings refer to sexual behaviour, abuse, and sexual assault. It is clear that there is a reoccurring theme within each submission, as many clients appear to have had the same experiences with the tattoo artist. Women, mostly, are being made to feel uncomfortable while being tattooed. One of the most vulnerable positions anyone can be in, tattoo artists should make their clients feel comfortable and safe during the pro
Post a Comment
Read more

Eurydice’s Last Words

by Kate Bradley I do not want to return To sit in the stalls, Of an empty black box Strewn with petals Leave the ghost light on, Let it shine like a call home, But I will not come back To turn it off alone. I learn this as we walk Our ever so solemn path Our thudding funeral march, You think we’re going back. As I trace my old steps, I fear of the day When the symphony swells, And I land my gaze On you, yet you will be Enraptured by the sound, If you did twist To turn around, You would not see me. So I am not sorry, I speak out into the empty air And I am not sorry. “Turn Around.” You do, you look You think  I fall But I run on, Arms wide open To fall in love With it all “Perhaps she was the one who said, ‘Turn around.” On the X45 bus, back from the Tyneside Cinema, I wrote a poem entitled “Eurydice’s Final Words”, after having seen “Portrait of a Lady on Fire”.  That poem was terrible, so I wrote a new one, as my response to the beautifully poignant film.  In one scene, Héloïse, an 18
Post a Comment
Read more

Single Review: ‘Tell Me’ - Jay Moussa-Mann

by Ilana Hawdon The feeling of pure betrayal and heartbreak is perfectly captured in Jay Moussa-Mann’s latest single, ‘Tell Me’. Jay Moussa-Mann is the folk dream we have been waiting for. A favourite on BBC Introducing, Radio 6 and BBC Radio Tees, Jay ’s sound is easy on the ears but delightfully addictive. With a background in writing and film, she began her solo musical venture when she released her debut album, ‘Little Deaths’ in late-2019, and since then, Moussa-Mann has defined herself as an artist with unbelievable range and promise.    ‘Tell Me’ is completely timeless; with notes of Carole King and Joni Mitchell, Moussa-Mann creates a folk-inspired track which is simultaneously heart wrenching and strangely empowering. Beginning as a simple guitar tune, ‘Tell Me’ builds with layers of luscious strings and twinkling piano, tied together with Jay ’s vocal line which is equal parts melancholic and divine. The song feels unwaveringly intimate; the lyrics ask, ‘what was I worth?’
Post a Comment
Read more