Cher made everyone believe in life after love at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
A fully female line-up
In line with its “feminist rebrand”, this year marked the first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show with an all-female entertainment line-up. Along with Cher, Tyla and Blackpink’s Lisa both performed their own hits, sonically punctuating the different runway categories.
Lisa revved up the crowd at the Victoria’s Secret runway, opening the show on a stationary motorcycle.Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Lisa kicked things off, clad in a leather two-piece and perched on a stationary motorcycle, singing her recent track Rockstar. She reappeared later for a rendition of Moonlit Floor, as models, including Ashley Graham, ascended from the floor to walk the runway.
R&B pop singer Tyla appeared in the middle of the show, wearing her own set of fluffy white wings. She performed her breakout single Water and Push 2 Start, while models like Lila Moss strutted past.
Lila and her supermodel mother, Kate Moss, both made their VS debuts this year. This isn’t the first time they’ve walked together, having both appeared at the 2021 Fendi couture show.
Kate Moss (left) and daughter Lila (right) both made their VS debut this year.Credit: Invision/AP
Veteran angels return
Although reinvention lay at the heart of this show, it wouldn’t be a Victoria’s Secret runway without a few of the brand’s favourite angels. Gigi Hadid was the first to walk, dressed in an all-pink silky set and massive adjustable wings. As she dominated the runway, the phrase “we are back” was projected onto a large screen, and Chappell Roan’s feminist anthem Femininomenon played. This marked Hadid’s fourth VS appearance. Her sister, Bella, also reclaimed her wings this year, walking the show in a sultry red number while Cher belted out Believe.
Other returning models included Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, Irina Shayk, and Josephine Skriver.
But it was Tyra Banks who had people hollering. The 50-year-old model closed the show, her first VS appearance since 2005. She sashayed down the runway in sparkly black leggings, a black-and-silver corset and silver cape before the rest of the angels joined her to wave goodbye.
New angels spread their wings
Inclusivity, female empowerment and diversity were the driving forces behind VS’ return, encouraging the brand to incorporate a range of plus-size and gender-diverse models.
Ashley Graham strutted the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, marking a more body-positive era for the brand.Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Models like Devyn Garcia, Ashley Graham and Paloma Elsesser, as well as trans models Alex Consani and Valentina Sampaio, signalled the beginning of a more progressive, body-positive and tolerant era. However, these models still seemed few and far between. Each category appeared dominated by thin, cisgender women – the same criticism that plagued the event until 2018.
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