Topline

The once highly anticipated fashion event and TV ratings behemoth Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is taking place in New York tonight for the first time since 2018 after the annual event was canceled due to a series of controversies that rocked the lingerie brand had taken a break and the number of viewers was falling.

Important facts

Who is taking part in this year's show?

Valentina Sampaio, a Brazilian model who became the brand's first openly transgender model in 2019, said on Instagram that she will be in the show. Gigi Hadid, a veteran of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, will also walk the runway, the company confirmed. Brazilian model Adriana Lima, who modeled for Victoria's Secret for two decades and appeared in 18 Victoria's Secret fashion shows, will also walk the runway. Other models set to leave include Barbara Palvin, Jasmine Tookes, Ashley Graham, Candice Swanepoel and Behati Prinsloo.

When and where will the fashion show be broadcast?

The “pink carpet” before the show begins at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday will stream live on Prime Video as well as Victoria's Secret's Instagram, YouTube and TikTok accounts. The show starts at 7pm EDT and airs on the same channels.

What controversies has Victoria's Secret faced?

In the late 2010s, the brand faced a number of controversies, including increasing criticism of its lack of inclusivity for all body types. The much-criticized “Perfect Body” campaign featured photo shoots with only thin models and sparked a petition that garnered more than 30,000 signatures. One of the brand's most famous models, Karlie Kloss, left the company in 2015, which she later said because she “didn't feel like it was an image that really reflected who I was and what kind of message I wanted to convey.” “Send to young women around the world what it means to be beautiful.” Another model, Robyn Lawley, led a boycott of the brand in 2018, claiming it told women “only one type of body” be beautiful. The brand faced a wave of renewed criticism in 2018 when Ed Razek, then head of marketing for Victoria's Secret's then-parent company L Brands, told Vogue he didn't believe the show should feature models who were “transsexual.” , and explained: “Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It's a 42-minute entertainment special.” Razek apologized days later, stating, “To be clear: We would definitely cast a transgender model on the show.” He resigned in August 2019, just days after Victoria's Secret Sampaio, his first transgender model, was cast. The New York Times published an investigation in February 2020 that claimed the company had a “culture of misogyny” characterized by “widespread bullying and harassment of employees and models.” Razek was said to have faced repeated complaints of inappropriate behavior, including attempts to kiss models and touch the crotch. Razek said the allegations were “categorically untrue, misconstrued or taken out of context” and the company said it was “committed to continuous improvement and full accountability.” Former L Brands CEO, billionaire Les Wexner, apologized in 2019 for his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, whom Wexner employed to manage his finances until he cut ties in 2007.

How has the company tried to change its image?

Victoria's Secret replaced its “Angel” title for supermodels in 2021 with a new concept called “VS Collective,” a group that originally consisted of seven ambassadors championing diversity, including Sampaio, openly lesbian soccer player Megan Rapinoe and the Plus -size model Paloma Elsesser and actress Priyanka Chopra. Last year, instead of a live fashion show, the company released a film on Amazon Prime Video called “Victoria's Secret: The Tour '23,” which it described as “part documentary, part spectacular fashion event.” Critics noted that the special's cast was more diverse and included open discussion of topics such as LGBTQ identities and bodily autonomy.

Important background

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place annually between 1995 and 2018 and was first broadcast on television in 2001. Broadcast on ABC in 2001, it was a ratings hit, attracting 12 million viewers and in 2013, CBS reached 10 million viewers. However, ratings soon plummeted, falling year after year to a new low of just over 3 million viewers in 2018, the last broadcast before the break.

Big number

15 million dollars. That's how much the most expensive item of clothing ever worn at a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was valued at. Model Gisele Bündchen wore the iconic “Fantasy Bra” in 2000 – a garment worn by a select model in each show – the most expensive version of the bra, worth millions every year.

Further reading

Your all-access pass to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (Victoria's Secret)

“Angels” in Hell: The Culture of Misogyny at Victoria's Secret (New York Times)

Victoria's Secret is revamping its image. Is it enough to regain relevance? (CNN)