What I Took Away from the 2024 Victoria Secret Show: A Bombshell Hit or Miss?

From a young age, I adored the Victoria’s Secret fashion show. The bedazzling cat walk, 7 feet angel wings, jaw-dropping models, and star-studded live performances checked off all the boxes of what my 12-year-old self fantasized about a runway show. It was like watching my Barbie dolls come to life, except this time I couldn’t swing them by their hair. Instead, for the entire show, I would sit in front of the television screen, eyes peeled, performing an occasional experimental cat-walk across the living room or head-banging a dance-along to an artist’s tune. Now, six years later, older and maybe a bit wiser, I eagerly typed in “Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2024,” ready to embrace the nostalgic dazzling fantasy yet again. Meanwhile, others may say some things are better left in the past.

After a fall from grace and a six-year hiatus, the iconic Victoria’s Secret Angels had a lot to prove. Proceeding years of criticism on their lack of body diversity and inclusivity, 2024 was the chance for the company to step forward from its controversial past.

One of the biggest changes was the show’s attempt to be more inclusive. The cast featured models of different shapes, sizes, ages, and backgrounds. From transgender model Alex Consani to plus-size model Ashley Graham to older retired models like Kate Moss and Adriana Lima, Victoria’s Secret Angels did not merely take the brand’s long associated hour-glass thin and young models but widened the range to represent a host of beautiful women. But as with many high-profile changes, was it all talk and no action?

The show partnered with Amazon to allow audiences to shop in real time to what was worn on stage. However, despite Victoria Secret mentioning an extension of sizing to a 5X, they continued to only feature sizes XXS - XXL to shop from. On the screen, plus-size models seemed far and few, not receiving nearly as much treatment to shine as their other counterparts. The show began and ended with Gigi and Bella Hadid, both of whom fit perfectly into Victoria Secret’s controversial body mold. And, some critics even say how the few “plus-size” models mostly fit into straight sizes, questioning whether plus size was truly represented to the degree it should have been.

Besides the change in cast, I also couldn’t help but notice the iconic wings–once larger-than-life symbols of the show— were noticeably smaller. The stage did not glow nearly as much as I last remembered, consisting only of a ground-level runway and light screens in the back. And, certain clothes fell flat, like Taylor Hill’s beaded wings and baggy pants, Alex Consani’s gray set, and Mika Schneider’s lackluster pink dress.

Courtesy of HelloMagazine

While it goes without saying that the Victoria's Secret show has room for much improvement, I do believe the company is taking the right direction towards progress. As the world continues to embrace broader ideals of beauty, it is equally as important to uphold these standards on to larger corporations. The inclusion of different body types and the variety of women artists performing instilled moments in me where I felt the old Victoria Secret’s glam in the evolving cultural landscape. Despite storms of criticism, I believe the 2024 show had moments of empowerment. While watching this year’s show, I was again taken back to my younger self, staring in awe. However, this time I saw traces of myself on the screen, instead of just my flawless Barbie dolls I idolized over.

Cover photo courtesy of Glamour