Victoria’s Secret has put a lot of thought into their rebrand. After announcing the return of the label’s fashion show, the retailer has revealed that the “reimagined” presentation will be a feature-length film.
Instead of shuffling models down the runway, the intimates company will take viewers on a journey across the world to follow a “group of 20 innovative global creatives from the vibrant cities of Bogota, Lagos, London and Tokyo.” According to a Tuesday, May 9, press release the class includes fashion designer Melissa Valdes, filmmaker Korty, body artist Aoi Yamada and more who will give Us a glimpse at their work while also debuting new Victoria’s Secret creations.
Chris Rupp, chief customer officer at Victoria’s Secret & Co., said of the project: “We are excited to introduce a completely reimagined version of the fashion show, while bringing back the very best of entertainment and fashion our customers have been asking for.”
She added: “We’re celebrating the iconic heritage of the brand through a new generation of artists, and we can’t wait to amplify their vision through our worldwide platform.”
The big event will premiere this fall. An exact date has not yet been announced.
Victoria’s Secret initially unveiled the return of its runway show March following a four-year hiatus. “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,” Timothy Johnson, Victoria’s Secret chief financial officer, said during the meeting, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The celebration’s revival comes after the 2019 presentation was canceled amid declining sales and increasing backlash surrounding the company’s messaging. Historically, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show featured the industry’s most popular supermodels — including Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Gisele Bündchen, Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and more — in blinged–out bras and panties.
While consumers had long expressed their disappointment with the label’s lack of diversity and size inclusivity, the controversy came to a head for Victoria’s Secret in September 2018. Ed Razek, former chief marketing officer and executive vice president of public relations, told Vogue that “transsexuals” shouldn’t walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show because “the show is a fantasy.” While Razek did offer an apology and resigned in November 2019, that didn’t slow the fierce Victoria’s Secret criticism. (Hulu also released the docuseries Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons in July 2022, which exposed the alleged misogynist treatment models faced under former owner Leslie Wexner.)
In the months and years that followed, Victoria’s Secret showcased a commitment to progress. In June 2021, the company introduced the VS Collective, which replaced its signature models with women of all shapes and sizes, including Priyanka Chopra Jonas, United States Women’s National Soccer Team player Megan Rapinoe and more who aim to “drive positive change,” the brand said at the time.
