The “underwear giant” returned to the catwalk with its most famous models
To be precise, the most famous underwear brand in the world – or at least the holder of that title for a few decades – the Victoria’s Secret made a second attempt to return to her catwalks after taking a break from them in 2019. Last year, the brand attempted a grand comeback with an Amazon-broadcast event that was, in essence, a disaster both in terms of audience response (users of the platform gave it 1.7 stars out of 5) and critics, except sales and public relations.
The best that could be said was that it was a shoddy copy of Fenty, singer Rihanna’s successful, inclusive underwear brand. The company used three magic tricks in the hope that customers could forget not only the collapse of its profits a few years ago, which led to the sale of the brand, but also the criticism received by its beloved “angels”, for pretense of perfection, the misogyny and hypersexuality they were responding to, even its founder’s relationships with Jeffrey Epstein.
Up-and-coming singers Lisa and Tyla were the first to take the stage – both dressed like the brand’s models. But the true pop moment was when Cher, 78, appeared at the end of the 40-minute show to perform two of her 1998 hits, “Strong Enough” and “Believe.” In addition to these appearances, we also saw all the famous models, the “priestesses of the catwalk” giving their “presence” to the show. The first of them was Gigi Hadid, who opened the catwalk dressed in pink, greeting the audience with the style of her friend, Taylor Swift.
But the moment of nostalgia the brand sought was best embodied by the presence of the brand’s classic beauties: Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Isabeli Fontana, Candice Swanepoel, Barbara Palvin, Doutzen Kroes and the “super-angels” Irina Shayk and Adriana Lima. Amid the glitter of wings and sequined bras, few, perhaps, remembered that Lima bid farewell to the brand in 2018, assuring that: “I will no longer take off my clothes for an empty purpose” and that: “I am tired of the impositions, we cannot as women continue to live in a world with such superficial values. It is not physically and mentally healthy what society forces us to be, to behave, to look like.”
It seemed all was forgotten when the show started, bringing with it surprises like Bella Hadid, who, with the exception of the Saint Laurent show in September, hadn’t walked the catwalk in two years. Other celebrities over 50 also made great appearances, including Tyra Banks and Eva Herzigová, who walked for the first time in 15 years. There have also been notable debuts at Victoria’s Secret, such as that of Carla Bruni and Kate Moss. We could not fail to mention the Greek Anthi Fakidari, who shone with her presence on the show.
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The second rabbit in the brand’s hat was inclusivity, although this was done with a measured approach. The overall feel was that of a classic Victoria’s Secret show, which didn’t seem to excite the audience.
On the pink carpet, which was livestreamed for the first time, two of the company’s top executives, Sarah Sylvester, vice president of marketing, and Janie Schaffer, head of design, said the runway show was “a celebration of women.” “Everyone is welcome, casting was done based on their confidence and strength”they reported.
But beyond the famous models, the real reason for Victoria’s Secret season is the spectacle, a show for show’s sake. Famous faces emerge amid the glitter and feathers, the setting and the invocation of trends, accompanied by heightened expectations created by weeks of social media hype. All seemed eager to purge the sins of the past with luster. All the criticism, the scandals, however – even the fact that the “angels” are no longer called “angels” after the brand dropped the moniker a few years ago – have not been forgotten…
There may not have been a set from The Weeknd, Taylor Swift or Beyonce like in years past, and there were few familiar faces in the crowd besides Queen Latifah and Cardi B.
Nostalgia and the desire for glamor overpowered testimonies such as that of Gisele Bündchen, who spoke in her book about the fact that she felt uncomfortable walking in underwear, even hinting that she had suicidal thoughts at the height of her catwalk career. Or when, five years ago, a hundred models signed a letter expressing their concerns for the safety and well-being of models and young women who aspire to work for Victoria’s Secret. The show must go on and we’ll have to wait until 2025 to see if the third comeback is -really- the best…
Source :Skai
I am Frederick Tuttle, who works in 247 News Agency as an author and mostly cover entertainment news. I have worked in this industry for 10 years and have gained a lot of experience. I am a very hard worker and always strive to get the best out of my work. I am also very passionate about my work and always try to keep up with the latest news and trends.
