The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows have held their place as absolutely legendary. After a 6-year hiatus, the brand made their Fashion Show comeback in 2024 and plans to continue with their shows from here on out. Victoria’s Secret’s 2025 Fashion Show took place recently, and many beautiful models and pieces made their way down the catwalk. The show included countless top models like Bella Hadid, Anok Yai, and Adrianna Lima. Not only did we see iconic models, but we also got the chance to see some new faces in fashion hitting the runway. Professional basketball player and previous Vogue cover heroine Angel Reese made an appearance that sparked much conversation.
Victoria’s Secret as of late has made an emphasis on inclusivity, which is a huge contrast from its shows prior to the year 2024. In the past two years, we’ve seen different body types, gender identities, physical abilities, ages, and ethnicities. The brand made a promise to its consumers that the Angels would look more like the shoppers. The previous years called for models that fit into an extremely narrow mold and with more representation in recent years, you would think that the responses would be more positive. The “classic” supermodel still walks the runway, but models that don’t fit into what some may think that looks like are getting much needed recognition. The show’s opener, Jasmine Tookes, who is a well-known model, took the cake with an unconventional look when it comes to a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. She opened the show while nine months pregnant, which was a beautiful sight to see, although not in the “norm.”
There has been a trending opinion surfacing on social media apps like Twitter (X) and TikTok that is in favor of the models having an “unattainable” look. The opinion is not shared amongst all, but I have seen it shared amongst many. The models have been more catered to being relatable to the consumer, but their beauty and poise is not necessarily an easily attainable attribute. This opinion has been used as an excuse to pass judgement onto these newly and well-represented models. The backlash has started for certain guest appearances, including internet personalities and athletes, more specifically with Angel Reese and Quenlin Blackwell. People on the internet have been labeling their beauty and bodies as “too attainable.” This is unfortunately a result of misogynoir, which is misogyny specifically targeted at Black women. Both of them attain beauty and physiques that are undeniably amazing.
Angel Reese stunned on the runway with two breathtaking looks and shut down all of the doubts from naysayers. Reese is the first professional athlete ever to walk a Victoria’s Secret runway which made her debut all the more significant. The WNBA star is already very accustomed to navigating public scrutiny, making this wave of criticism familiar. Many questioned her fashion background although she has made it a big part of her career outside of being an athlete. She has been penalized by the public on multiple accounts for embracing her femininity and commercial appeal on her own terms. Despite the noise, she has embraced the opportunity and the success that has come with it.
The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is not just a Fashion Show but also a culturally significant representation of female empowerment and embracing of diversity. There is still much progress to be made in the context of accepting those from different backgrounds, but important steps have been taken.