One magical night a year, a fashion show is put on – but it’s not just any show. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is home to the biggest names in the modeling and music industry. The world’s most beautiful women put on tiny, yet tremendously expensive and intricate, garments and strut their stuff to a live performance by top artists. Its time in Paris in 2016 cost 20 million dollars. The show’s producer, Ed Razek, claims the 2016 show was one of the most expensive fashion shows in history.
From the smouldering stares to welcoming smiles, each girl is free to express how she feels in the clothes in a personable way not seen in most shows. I love how Victoria’s Secret has built the show not only on looks, but the personalities and friendships of their models. A feeling of unity and girl-power runs through me as the girls take the stage confident in each other’s abilities.
The 2017 VS Fashion Show has picked up traction on being the most diverse to date. Nearly 50% of the models in the show will be Black, Asian, or Hispanic. In context, last year’s show only had 30% of the models of color. VS is showing commitment to diversifying their show which has been applauded by both the media and the public.
However, despite the progress towards ethnic diversity, Victoria’s Secret has not acknowledged the body positivity movement. Not a single model will be plus sized. Another way of stating this – not a single model will be average sized.
The average woman in the US is just under 5’4” and wears between a size 16 and 18. So why is the average woman not represented by VS? The implications are harmful. Every woman should be able to put on lingerie and feel sexy and accepted in her own skin. Yet the VS fashion show represents and promotes sexy as being only one body type.
New York Fashion Week for the fall season of 2017 gave 27 plus size model appearances on their runways which was increased from a mere 16 for the summer season and 6 from the spring. Not perfect, but progress is being made. Plus size models such as Ashley Graham have found incredible success in plus-size modeling hosting 5.4 million followers on her Instagram alone. She is well loved by fans of all shapes and sizes. The brand Aerie saw a 20% sales increase in its first year after launching #aeriereal, a campaign to challenge supermodel standards, ditch Photoshop, and show more average sized girls in their advertisements. There is money in joining the body positivity movement! If only Victoria’s Secret could get on board…
56 models have been confirmed for the upcoming 2017 VS Fashion Show in Shanghai. 14 of the models (including Adriana Lima, Elsa Hosk and Martha Hunt) have the Angel status and can therefore expect to be in the show without casting. The other 42 are both returnees (Bella and Gigi Hadid among them) and newcomers who had to attend castings. All 42 spots were opportunities to diversify body types and sizes.
So here’s what I have to say:
Dear Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,
I want to see someone with my body rock the runway. I’m tired of being shown I am too short to look sexy in my underwear. I’m frustrated with your brand’s shame put on the thickness and width of my thighs. Reaffirm that sexy exists in more than one size. Because right now, I feel like your store doesn’t welcome girls like me – in fact, it doesn’t welcome the majority of women in the US.
Thank you for ethnically diversifying the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. I hope to see that diversification continue into hiring plus size models next year.
Yours truly,
Hannah
(p.s. Ashley Graham looks amazing in wings!)