The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is making a comeback after a five-year break, and it’s already causing quite a stir. You might expect discussions around inclusivity and diversity, but the way the controversy has unfolded online is quite surprising.
The buzz is mainly focused on Victoria’s Secret (VS) giving supermodel Ashley Graham a pair of wings and the major fatphobia she’s experiencing.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Why was the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show cancelled?
Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane. Victoria’s Secret was once the gold standard of glamour, but by the late 2010s, it was facing serious backlash.
Critics called out the brand for promoting unrealistic beauty standards and not representing a diverse range of body types. Ashley Graham herself, who is a staunch advocate for the body positivity movement, clapped back at VS in her own cheeky way.
On the night of the 2018 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, she posted a series of photos from her own Ashley Graham for Addition Elle lingerie runway show on Instagram. This show featured models of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, and she captioned it with “#BeautyBeyondSize”. It was a clear nod to the ongoing controversy surrounding Victoria’s Secret and its struggles with inclusion.
“I can’t speak to what anybody else wants to do except for myself and the fact that I will always have an inclusive runway show,” Graham said to PEOPLE.
Things got even messier when former VS marketing officer Ed Razek made headlines for his dismissive comments about including transgender models in the show.
His resignation in 2019 came amid accusations of fostering a toxic culture within the company. After years of declining ratings and increasing scrutiny, Victoria’s Secret finally pulled the plug on its fashion show in 2019.
It was a major turning point, especially with the rise of changing attitudes toward body image.
Victoria’s Secret 2024 comeback
Now, fast forward to 2024! Victoria’s Secret is ready for their comeback, promising a show that reflects “who we are today”. They’re bringing in big names like Cher, Aussie K-pop sensation Lisa, and singer Tyla for performances, along with a lineup of models that aims to be more inclusive. This is includes the six out of the 51 models on the runway who were curve models, including Graham and Paloma Elsesser.
The backlash curvy model Ashley Graham is facing
The VS TikTok posted a video four days ago of Graham where she excitedly shared, “The fact that I am walking the VS show means that VS is starting to do things right.”
Honestly, it’s surprising how up front they are being about their past mistakes.
“I’m most excited about representing so many curvy women of all shapes and sizes on the runway and I’m honoured to be on the stage. I said yes to VS so that you could feel seen.”
You’d think people would be celebrating this step forward, right? Well, not quite.
Instead of cheers, the comments section turned into hater city with users begging VS to bring the “OG vibes back”.
One user said, ““Did they not understand the assignment??”
Another said, “No pls we want the 90s VS back.”
The backlash raises an interesting question: can two curvy models really make up for decades of promoting narrow beauty ideals?
There is some hope
Fortunately, there were some voices cheering Ashley on! One X user (formerly Twitter) expressed gratitude by saying, “thank you for being the rep I never got when I was young.”
Another chimed in with, “Forever confused that people are mad when pretty women exist.”
And for those of you still on about “the OG vibe”, the lineup included familiar names like Gigi Hadid and Adriana Lima, with 50 year old model Tyra Banks making a return to close out the event. We love to see it!
Another standout from the show was Alex Consani, VS’ first transgender model to walk the runway.
As Victoria’s Secret tries to find its footing in this new era, it’s clear they’re walking a tightrope between their past and a more inclusive future.
Will they manage to balance both? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure — we’ll be watching closely!
Lead image: Getty Images
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