Kate MacLeod
After a four-year hiatus, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is set to return in 2023. For 24 years, the annual fashion show showcased the brand’s lingerie collection and top models. It was cancelled in 2019 due to declining ratings and sales as well as increasing controversies associated with the once-monolithic lingerie brand.
Chief financial officer Timothy Cook announced the revival Friday, March 3, during the company’s 2022 earnings call, stating: “We’re going to continue to lean into the marketing spend to invest in the business, both at top-of-funnel and also to support the new version of our fashion show, which is to come later this year.”
Recent years have seen Victoria’s Secret dealing with much negative publicity. Its marketing and ‘Angels’ were criticized for lacking diversity and promoting unrealistic and unhealthy body standards. Even so that many models have come forth about their negative experiences with eating disorders and harassment in their workings with the company. The brand has been plagued with repeated accusations of cultural appropriation for its stereotypical use of Native American and Asian cultures in its modelling and shows. Long-time chief marketing officer Edward Razek was fired for allegations of abuse and misconduct towards models and making transphobic comments in an interview with the New York Times. Furthermore, the release of the associations between the former CEO of VS’s parent company L Brands, Les Wexner and infamous sex trafficker financier Jeffrey Epstein further harmed the brand’s image (Washington Post). Epstein reportedly posed as a recruiter for Victoria’s Secret to lure underage girls into trafficking.
The brand has attempted to reinvent itself through initiatives like the launch of the VS Collective, a group of inspiring female ambassadors that replaced the Angels, increasing their size inventory, and launching a charity program for women’s cancer. Still, profits continue to fall each year. Additionally, more competitors such as Aerie, Skims, and Third Love, which boast more inclusive models and sizing, have entered the underwear market, further stressing the issues of VS.
The return of the fashion show serves as an opportunity for Victoria’s Secret to recapture its former glory. Few details have been released so far regarding the 2023 show. A company spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter, “Our new brand projection and mission will continue to be our guiding principle. This will lead us into new spaces like reclaiming one of our best marketing and entertainment properties to date and turning it on its head to reflect who we are today. We’re excited to share more later this year.”
Many questions have been raised online regarding the show. Some of the world’s top models, such as Gisele Bündchen, Adrianna Lima, Kendall Jenner, and Gigi Hadid, have walked Victoria’s Secret runway. Given the time gap and the 2021 shuttering of the VS Angels marketing, the model lineup will likely look different this year. A more inclusive and diverse group is expected, but whether the world’s most famous models will still represent the brand is yet to be seen. Furthermore, Twitter debates have been occurring about the rebrand’s genuineness. After the announcement, rapper and founder of shapewear company YITTY, Lizzo tweeted “This is a win for inclusivity for inclusivity’s sake but if brands start doing this only because they’ve received backlash then what happens when the ‘trends’ change again? Do the CEOs of these companies value true inclusivity? Or do they just value money?”
While the announcement of the 2023 show seems exciting for the brand, its consumers, and fans, it remains unclear whether this show is what Victoria’s Secret needs to heal from its controversies and reclaim its top spot in the lingerie industry.
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