A girl models her own outfit at a fashion show. (Image Credit: iStockphoto LP)
This year’s Victoria’s Secret fashion show, which returned after six years without a hit, was all about diversity and inclusivity, highlighting the brand’s pledge to make a better world for women. There was a larger percentage of Brown and Black faces, as well as plus-sized models, than ever before. And OG Angels like Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel and Jasmine Tookes were all in attendance, alongside newer It Girls like He Cong, Imaan Hammam and Vittoria Ceretti. Plus-sized model Elsa Hosk also made her debut, clad in a stunning silver dress.
As much as I appreciated seeing a more diverse cast of women, it wasn’t a total win. The show was still very much a spectacle. There were a lot of sequins and glitz, and the wings — albeit PETA-approved — continued to be a major prop. And, of course, there was the requisite extravaganza of cultural fetishization and appropriation, with tigers, clowns, and other familiar circus elements turned into sultry runway looks for the “Circus” segment.
And then there was the music. While the opening performance by Lisa from K-pop megagroup Blackpink was sexy and impressive, it was overshadowed by the annoying crew voice-over that popped up to announce each segment. This voice-over is an annoying reminder that the show is not meant to be serious or meaningful, just a pretty spectacle.
Despite this, I do think the show was an improvement over previous ones, and it was great to see so many OG and new faces on the runway. However, it was still a bit of a letdown to see the show continue its pattern of glamorizing misogyny. The show was filled with references to Scarlett O’Hara and “Gone with the Wind,” including a full-body thong worn by Swanepoel that was a literal take on the film’s famous scene of O’Hara in her red dress.
Even if I hadn’t seen the movie, it would have been offensive and problematic for Victoria’s Secret to turn a historic, literary moment into a marketing campaign, especially for young, impressionable viewers. It was an obvious attempt to pander to the same kind of anti-feminist sentiment that’s been rife on social media and in our culture more generally, where teenage girls are feeling overwhelmed by the patriarchy and distance themselves from anything traditionally feminine, a phenomenon known as “not like other girls” syndrome. This sentiment is often fueled by hate for the color pink and contempt for skirts. It’s an unintentional but harmful consequence of a system that devalues women’s bodies, minds and voices, and it needs to stop. This is not the way to do it.