The VS Fashion Show: I'm Bored.
I didn't watch the 2018 Victoria’s Secret fashion show, but I didn’t need to, I’ve seen one before. Although Victoria’s Secret boasts that theirs is the “Most Watched Fashion Show in the World,” they do little to create something worth watching. Relying heavily on the musical acts and their model’s Instagram followers to bring viewers in, the brand falls flat on actual entertainment value. Ask any season finalists from America’s Next Top Model who have had to strut through everything from sprinklers full blast over the runway to catwalks with built-in hills models needed a running start to traverse. VS’s simple wide one turn runway is an opportunity missed for the brand.
As Victoria’s Secret was preparing for its 23rd annual fashion show when the brand faced some controversy. Chief marketing officer of L Brands (Victoria’s Secret’s parent company), Ed Razek, said in Vogue interview earlier this fall, “It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”
These words, along with other comments Razek made about plus-sized models in the same interview would go on to haunt the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The lingerie brand has already been experiencing a decline in popularity over the past couple of years as it has begun to battle more inclusive competitors including Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty and American Eagles’ Aerie, both of which have thrived on platforms of diversity and representation. But as consumers demand more from their intimate apparel retailers, Victoria’s Secret has done little past offering more runway turns to a handful of models with varying skin tones and ethnic backgrounds.
The annual show aired on December 2nd but was taped back in November. Because the interview was published while the show was being taped, November 8th, many participants didn’t get the chance to react until after shooting was over. Halsey, who performed at this year’s VS fashion show, even posting an apology the day of the show’s air on Instagram writing, “I have adored the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since I was young. Performing this year alongside other amazing artists and hard-working models/friends was supposed to be the best night of my year. However, after I filmed the performance, some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity. Especially not one motivated by stereotype.”
Halsey was not the only participant who spoke out advocating for trans rights following the interview. According to Teen Vogue, model Kendall Jenner, whose parent Caitlyn Jenner announced she was transgender three years ago, posted a photo of a "celebrate trans women" pin on her Instagram story. Models Lily Aldridge and Karlie Kloss reportedly followed suit by posting "Trans and GNC people are not a debate" on their Instagram stories. Although Aldridge is taking a break from being an angel this year, due to her pregnancy, she is a celebrated veteran of the show. Another veteran angel, Behati Prinsloo, spoke out defending the fashion show. In a recent interview with Elle, she said, “I think any woman is a Victoria’s Secret woman. But people also need to understand that it’s just a show… Let’s just have fun and not make it about anything and just have a great night and celebrate everyone.” What Behati doesn’t account for is that in order for everyone to be celebrated, everyone needs to be seen. Take it from a former employee, at Victoria’s Secret not everyone is seen.
Working retail at Victoria’s Secret, I had many experiences with women who came into the store and struggled to find their size, oftentimes having to resort to referring them to another bra store that carried more variety in sizes than what we offered. Victoria’s Secret only caters to a specific audience, and they know it. In fact, they do it on purpose. In the same Vogue interview, Razek said, “The brand has a specific image, has a point of view. It has a history. It’s hard to build a brand. It’s hard to build Vogue, Ralph Lauren, Apple, Starbucks. You have a brand position and you have a brand point of view. The girls who have earned their way into the show have worked for it.”
Razek’s comments were an enlightening moment for many consumers, as I was not the only non-viewer from the 18-49 age group, according to a recent report from The Daily Caller this key demographic’s viewership plummeted 40 percent this year. This shouldn't come as a huge shock following the aforementioned controversy, with many influencers and body-positive brands calling for a boycott of the show. Comments like these show that the Victoria’s Secret executive team is missing out on one key thing when defining their consumer group. The way VS positions their brand and targets all of their campaigns is clearly to sell the “fantasy” they speak so highly of is not towards the one key demo they should be targeting, women. When Victoria’s secret talks about “maintaining the fantasy” they're talking about the male fantasy. The fact that VS’s executive creative, Ed Razek, is a 70 year old man who after the scandal kept his job while the female CEO got fired should speak to the brand’s intentions.
Even with the lingerie market changing in front of their eyes, Victoria’s Secret is determined to maintain the “fantasy.” Often times people jokingly ask ‘what really is Victoria’s secret? What is she keeping from us?’ But the honest truth is, Victoria revealed her secret and it’s the ugly truth. VS thinks they don’t need to change because they believe that consumers buy into the “fantasy.” The brand is going to continue to bank on the superficial appeal of their aesthetic until they are fully dethroned by companies that are more willing to adapt. I would love to see a major retailer like Victoria’s Secret pull a total 180 and start displaying more diversity in their campaigns and product, but in lieu of a total change in executives and after showing their true colors, I don't see that happening for the brand in the near future.
As Victoria’s Secret was preparing for its 23rd annual fashion show when the brand faced some controversy. Chief marketing officer of L Brands (Victoria’s Secret’s parent company), Ed Razek, said in Vogue interview earlier this fall, “It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”
These words, along with other comments Razek made about plus-sized models in the same interview would go on to haunt the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The lingerie brand has already been experiencing a decline in popularity over the past couple of years as it has begun to battle more inclusive competitors including Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty and American Eagles’ Aerie, both of which have thrived on platforms of diversity and representation. But as consumers demand more from their intimate apparel retailers, Victoria’s Secret has done little past offering more runway turns to a handful of models with varying skin tones and ethnic backgrounds.
The annual show aired on December 2nd but was taped back in November. Because the interview was published while the show was being taped, November 8th, many participants didn’t get the chance to react until after shooting was over. Halsey, who performed at this year’s VS fashion show, even posting an apology the day of the show’s air on Instagram writing, “I have adored the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since I was young. Performing this year alongside other amazing artists and hard-working models/friends was supposed to be the best night of my year. However, after I filmed the performance, some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity. Especially not one motivated by stereotype.”
Halsey was not the only participant who spoke out advocating for trans rights following the interview. According to Teen Vogue, model Kendall Jenner, whose parent Caitlyn Jenner announced she was transgender three years ago, posted a photo of a "celebrate trans women" pin on her Instagram story. Models Lily Aldridge and Karlie Kloss reportedly followed suit by posting "Trans and GNC people are not a debate" on their Instagram stories. Although Aldridge is taking a break from being an angel this year, due to her pregnancy, she is a celebrated veteran of the show. Another veteran angel, Behati Prinsloo, spoke out defending the fashion show. In a recent interview with Elle, she said, “I think any woman is a Victoria’s Secret woman. But people also need to understand that it’s just a show… Let’s just have fun and not make it about anything and just have a great night and celebrate everyone.” What Behati doesn’t account for is that in order for everyone to be celebrated, everyone needs to be seen. Take it from a former employee, at Victoria’s Secret not everyone is seen.
Working retail at Victoria’s Secret, I had many experiences with women who came into the store and struggled to find their size, oftentimes having to resort to referring them to another bra store that carried more variety in sizes than what we offered. Victoria’s Secret only caters to a specific audience, and they know it. In fact, they do it on purpose. In the same Vogue interview, Razek said, “The brand has a specific image, has a point of view. It has a history. It’s hard to build a brand. It’s hard to build Vogue, Ralph Lauren, Apple, Starbucks. You have a brand position and you have a brand point of view. The girls who have earned their way into the show have worked for it.”
Razek’s comments were an enlightening moment for many consumers, as I was not the only non-viewer from the 18-49 age group, according to a recent report from The Daily Caller this key demographic’s viewership plummeted 40 percent this year. This shouldn't come as a huge shock following the aforementioned controversy, with many influencers and body-positive brands calling for a boycott of the show. Comments like these show that the Victoria’s Secret executive team is missing out on one key thing when defining their consumer group. The way VS positions their brand and targets all of their campaigns is clearly to sell the “fantasy” they speak so highly of is not towards the one key demo they should be targeting, women. When Victoria’s secret talks about “maintaining the fantasy” they're talking about the male fantasy. The fact that VS’s executive creative, Ed Razek, is a 70 year old man who after the scandal kept his job while the female CEO got fired should speak to the brand’s intentions.
Even with the lingerie market changing in front of their eyes, Victoria’s Secret is determined to maintain the “fantasy.” Often times people jokingly ask ‘what really is Victoria’s secret? What is she keeping from us?’ But the honest truth is, Victoria revealed her secret and it’s the ugly truth. VS thinks they don’t need to change because they believe that consumers buy into the “fantasy.” The brand is going to continue to bank on the superficial appeal of their aesthetic until they are fully dethroned by companies that are more willing to adapt. I would love to see a major retailer like Victoria’s Secret pull a total 180 and start displaying more diversity in their campaigns and product, but in lieu of a total change in executives and after showing their true colors, I don't see that happening for the brand in the near future.