Plot twist to a plot already twisted: the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is still returning, but instead of an IRL runway, it's landing in the form of a feature-length movie.
That’s right. Several months on from the lingerie company’s surprising reveal that it would be reviving its famed (and controversial) runway presentation, on May 9 it confirmed that its return will be a pre-recorded one.
Victoria's Secret World Tour 2023 (to give the film its official title) will “reimagine” the show which was canned in 2018 following a slew of scandals, and instead focus more on “emerging global trailblazers” who will be showcasing their own custom Victoria’s Secret designs.
Since the cancellation of its show five years ago, Victoria’s Secret has been on a mission to overhaul its public image.
Following controversial transgender remarks made in 2019 by Ed Razek (the label’s former marketing director), VS found itself the subject of further questions after the release of Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons, a 2020 series which documented the label’s downfall.
This — not to mention a continued backlash for portraying a questionable definition of beauty with its shows — alongside links between Jeffrey Epstein and former L Brands CEO Les Wexner, has since seen VS take a major step back.
“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,” read a quote from Chris Rupp, VS’s CCO, following the recent news.
VS’s return in 2023 has been described by the label as a way to “unite fashion, film, art and culture” by utilizing a range of “dynamic global creatives, top supermodels, musical talent and more.”
“We’re celebrating the iconic heritage of the brand through a new generation of artists,” continued Rupp. “We can’t wait to amplify their vision through our worldwide platform.”
What exactly a Victoria's Secret show looks like in 2023 remains to be seen. All we know for sure right now is that the show will be coming back, but certainly not as you remember it. Or that's what we're told, at least.
