It’s that time of the year, and the girls are going crazy over the 2026 Victoria Secret runway show. As we all know, the VS runway is basically the super bowl for the girls. This year, the reviews for the runway are split fifty-fifty. When watching the show, I went through an emotional rollercoaster. There were some really high highs, and the lows were low.
To start off, it was so nice to see some of the veteran angels from previous years. Seeing Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Doutzen Kroe, Candice Swanepoel, Bella and Gigi Hadid, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Adriana Lima hit the runway again was so nostalgic. Also, seeing Ming Xi come out with those giant, gorgeous, flowing wings — I was obsessed. Not to mention, Barbra Palvin hitting the stage after giving birth six weeks ago was like seeing your favorite superhero get up after a nasty injury. I’m with everyone else when they say that these angels really did light up the stage and bring that energy that VS was originally known for.
Another thing I’d like to touch on are the looks that were featured on the runway. First, the wings? Absolutely breathtaking. I loved the craftsmanship that was put into each pair, and I adored how ginormous they were, and how they encapsulated that fantasy and show-stopping element that was a signature of Victoria’s Secret. Second, I really like the multiple themes that were shown. The theme being the different seasons was actually really cute, and I also loved lace, corsets, and faux furs that were incorporated into the looks for the autumn and winter segments. However, I can’t really say the same for the PINK segment of the show. While I did think that some of the looks were really cute and did advertise to the younger audiences, I feel like it was missing that “wow factor.” PINK, to me, was the more creative and fun side compared to the sleek side of Victoria’s Secret.
Now, one of my many issues that I’ve had with the recent VS shows is that they keep giving the performers wings. I’m not trying to say that the ladies look bad wearing them, but to me wings were given when a model had made it. Wings were given to supermodels who were the best of the best. So, it feels unfair to have the performers be given their own wings when many other angels had to work so hard to earn their first pair.
Another concern is the “glitter” runway that was promised at this year’s show. There was glitter, yes, but it was under the runway instead of on it. The venue itself was great, but VS advertised that they had ordered 80 pounds of loose glitter that was going to cover the runway just like they did during their 2000s era. I feel like it didn’t ruffle too many people’s feathers, but it did ruffle mine. The glitter runway was a signature of VS, so when I saw that they were going to bring back the glitter runway, I was so excited to see the models do their walk and stomp on the glitter.Â
Now this is what everyone is talking about when referring to the VS fashion show. The Fantasy Bra dates back to 1996 when Claudia Schiffer wore the “Million Dollar Miracle Bra” in the Christmas holiday catalog. The fantasy bra led VS to its golden era during the 2000s. These bras would range from $1-15 million dollars, and the angels that were selected to wear these bras were supermodels who were considered the very best. Models had to put in years of work to earn their wings and even put in more work and show their loyalty to the Victoria’s Secret Brand to be able to wear the fantasy bra. So, to have Kylie Jenner just be given the $50 million fantasy bra without her even being an angel is like an insult to all of the veterans who’ve worked so hard to get to where they are. I understand that it’s a publicity stunt, and that it was done to get their audience talking and to draw more attention to their show, but to throw away tradition is not what I wanted from VS.
But that’s what I think. The 2026 Victoria’s Secret runway was definitely better than its previous shows after the break, I hope that in the future the brand continues to listen to their audience. They brought back the blowouts and bouncy curls, they gave us glitter… but didn’t deliver the way we wanted, so let’s hope for the best next year.