The Impending Train Wreck That Is The 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show used to be a cultural moment—the Super Bowl of beautiful women strutting in wings, lingerie, and body glitter, with Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Candice Swanepoel taking the brand to iconic heights.

But if you’ve seen the lineup for the upcoming show, you might be wondering: what happened to the glamazon powerhouses who made us all want to hit the gym and shop for lingerie? It’s not just the models we’re talking about here; it's a whole new vibe that feels...well, like a mess.

Questionable Casting Choices

Let’s start with the casting. For the first time ever, a man who identifies as a woman will be hitting the Victoria's Secret runway. Valentina Sampaio "made history" as the first openly transgender model to be hired by Victoria's Secret back in 2019 and will be walking in this year's show for the first time.

When Sports Illustrated tried something similar (also a brand built on perfect proportions, dazzling smiles, and timeless femininity), their audience was not happy. It’s hard to imagine that the masses won’t have a similar reaction to males wearing lingerie.

Like many companies these days, Victoria’s Secret’s vision has been muddied by a checklist of nonsensical diversity and inclusion requirements. Alongside the trans models, we’ll also see plus-size women like Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser. While representation matters in some contexts, it feels out of place here—a departure from the brand's once-distinct identity.

Brooklyn?

Even the setting feels off. Brooklyn? Not exactly the glamorous NYC backdrop we’ve come to expect from Victoria’s Secret. Moving the show away from the dazzling lights of Manhattan to a grittier, trendier neighborhood makes sense for, say, an edgy fashion brand. But for Victoria’s Secret? It’s a far cry from the high-energy, iconic shows of the past that exuded luxury, polish, and charm.

And here’s another kicker: no one had a fitting until a couple of days before the show. Can you imagine the chaos behind the scenes? Trying to tailor intricate costumes for a variety of body types in a matter of days? For a brand that once epitomized perfection and polish, this is a major red flag. It’s as though they’re so caught up in pushing this new “inclusive” direction that they’ve forgotten the basics of producing a visually stunning runway event. The result? A rushed, ill-fitting disaster waiting to happen. Again.

A Missed Opportunity

Even the fresh faces are a little disappointing. Instead of scouting and introducing the next generation of jaw-dropping supermodels, they’ve resorted to pulling in nepo babies like Lily-Rose Depp and Kaia Gerber to bring in the Gen Z crowd. Sure, they’re beautiful, but what about the thrill of discovering unknown models?

Also interesting is that Cher is the headline musical performance. Love her or hate her, she hasn’t had a major hit since the 90s, and does anything about her scream Victoria's Secret? It just feels like another gimmicky attempt to grasp onto any kind of relevance, but not in a terribly strategic way.

It seems the brand is too afraid to embrace fresh beauty—probably because it would require an objective look at what’s traditionally appealing to both women and men. And God forbid that conflicts with their current ideological agenda.

Closing Thoughts

In short, the lineup looks like a scattershot attempt to please everyone: OG Angels like Tyra Banks (do we love her or hate her in 2024? I honestly don't know), plus-size women, men, K-pop stars, influencers, and nepo babies. Is this really the best way to reclaim the glory of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show? Or is it just a sign that the brand has completely lost its way?

Without the careful curation and vision that once made Victoria’s Secret synonymous with untouchable beauty, this show is shaping up to be a hot mess.