The Victoria’s Secret first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was first put on in 1995, and since then many models have dreamed of walking that runway. While it may not be New York Fashion Week, this show isn’t something you sweep under the rug. In early 1996, Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell, two of the most prominent names in modeling, appeared as Victoria's Secret Angels. In its golden hour the 2001 broadcast emmased over 12 million viewers. However, in recent years the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has had a pretty rocky runway. The 2018 show had only 3.3 million viewers, and while that’s still a large number, it's also a 1.7 million viewer drop from the previous year.
This year, no one will be tuning in to watch VS models strut their stuff because, as of November 21, 2019 the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has officially been cancelled. After 24 years, the company’s history of image exclusivity has finally caught up to them. Diversity in the modeling industry has rapidly become an important issue. Whether it’s an issue of cultural or body type representation, the general consensus is that when it comes to diversity, more is always better. All you have to do is look at the Victoria’s Secret Angels to realize this is one message that went over the company’s head. While their range of skin colors isn’t completely lacking, many colors on the darker side of their spectrum seem to be richer in spray tan than ethnic diversity. This however, is not nearly as problematic as their array of body types, mostly because there is not one. Every girl who walks that runway is made up of the same ingredients: a tall, slim figure and a traditionally pretty face. While there is nothing wrong with these standard of beauty, they’ve become extremely dated. They represent what’s commonly referred to as a “Barbie” silhouette, but even Barbie has added plus-sized dolls to their lineup.
In recent years, the push to see acceptance and representation of all different body types has been rapid and widespread. Even Disney used one of its hit shows to remind us that a girl shouldn’t be valued by their ability to fit societal beauty standards. All of this is to say that for the VS Fashion Show to have never featured a plus-sized model is just not acceptable anymore. The company often references the shows purpose as displaying a “fantasy,” but that fantasy is no longer made of unattainable standards for the “perfect” body. Instead, many people fantasise about a world where everyone is valued no matter their clothing size, and in 2018 someone took a stand.
Robin Lawley, a plus-sized swimsuit model for Sports Illustrated, began boycotting Victoria’s Secret with a petition in October of that year, saying, “I want us all to join together and say I AM enough, I AM beautiful, I AM unique, and I WANT to see my body shape represented in your shows or I vow to never buy your product again!” That was a wish left unfulfilled on the 2018 runway, but that year also saw the lowest rating in the history of that broadcast, and this year will see no broadcast at all.
In fact, the VS Fashion Show already has a much more inclusive replacement, Rihanna’s Fenty X Puma fashion show. She used models of all different gender identities, races, and body types. This show made it clear that diversity could be achieved to the fullest extent on the runway, even with a company that sells the same items as Victoria’s Secret. Seeing as though Rihanna’s show got outstanding reviews, there is simply no excuse for Victoria’s Secret to to anything less, especially because they’re supposed to be the older, more experienced company.
While the cancellation hasn’t been confirmed indefinitely, the return of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show isn’t likely. In today’s society there is just no place for the toxic standards upheld on that runway.
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