As of October 15th, 2024, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show made its much-anticipated return, marking its first appearance since 2018. This amazing comeback comes after a major rebranding effort in response to the public’s outrage, calling the brand ‘outdated, exclusive’, and ‘lacking diversity’. This show was livestreamed for the first time in Victoria Secrets history. This show is dedicated to being more inclusive, diverse, and bringing back some of their most beloved models.
The 2024 Victoria Secret Fashion Show has marked a significant and transformative shift towards inclusivity by showcasing a diverse lineup that includes plus-size models along with the show’s first transgender model, Alex Consani. However, this transformation came with notable exclusion that left a lot of viewers nostalgic for the iconic elements of past shows. Some small details that viewers did not get to see this year the big, beautiful, iconic blowouts, the oversized and extra wings, the diamond runway was missing, and the fan favorite fantasy bras were also absent.
The return of Victoria’s Secret’s most iconic supermodels and amazing performances from singers evoked a feeling of nostalgia and excitement. Fans were begging to see what most would call ‘the face of Victoria Secret’ return to the runway this year. Adriana Lima walking this runway with wings after her retirement in 2018. We also saw supermodels like Tyra Banks, Taylor Hill, Bella, and Gigi Hadid who opened and closed the show along with so many others, not to mention performers like the K-pop star Lisa, pop legend Cher, and the rising singer Tyla.
Many of the fan reactions were polarized. Some viewers celebrated the brand’s new direction, while others expressed their disappointment online over the absence of extravagant spectacle associated with the previous shows. All over social media reviews of the show are mixed. Some are praising the diversity and inclusivity the show has finally added, shedding tears. There were more diverse women walking that runway and showing empathy that this is the brand’s first show since rebranding in the past four years. Others were not as happy, claiming the point of Victoria Secret shows was that their beauty was supposed to seem unattainable as a sort of escapism that not everyone can be an angel.
The 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show represents a crucial moment for the brand, embracing inclusivity and diversity while rekindling feelings of nostalgia with the return of iconic supermodels. Although the show did face mixed reactions, it highlights a big step towards redefining Victoria Secret for a modern audience. As the brand keeps moving forward, their ability to adapt will resonate with longtime fans, and the more diverse customer base will lead to its future success in the ever-evolving fashion world.