Well, friends, after 20 years of runway walks, it looks like the Victoria’s Secret angels are losing their wings.
This week, in a surprising (but also, not really) turn of events, VS parent company L Brands announced that their iconic annual fashion show won’t be happening in 2019.
This news came as a bit of a shock to some fans of the brand.
For 20 years, the VS fashion show has served as more than just a way to show off new designs to shoppers. Since the first show in 1995, the televised event has become Victoria’s Secret’s and Pink’s key marketing strategy, raking in 9.7 million viewers at its peak in 2013.
Last year, however, L Brands reported its lowest viewership rating to date, resulting in a loss of over $250 million that quarter.
Low viewership isn’t the only battle the brand has been fighting lately. In recent years, Victoria’s Secret has come under fire with regards to their size range and representation on the runway. One frustrated twitter user noted that the lingerie brand “would rather cancel a huge 20-plus year event than listening to the public and just hiring models that promote inclusivity.”
Regardless of how you feel about the brand, there’s one thing we can all agree on. Fashion is moving forward. Consumers are driving the industry towards people of all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life are starting to see themselves reflected in the clothes they buy. We’re seeing major brands – like Pretty Little Thing, American Eagle, and Tommy Hilfiger – shifting to a more inclusive portfolio.
How about Victoria’s Secret? Here’s the tea: with a lack of diversity in their models and fits, even in 2019, it looks like this lingerie giant hasn’t figured out how to keep up.
Let’s be real – we all love a bit of glitter and glam now and then. But some things are more important than some flashy marketing.
What’s my take? Unless they want to be replaced by body-positive brands like Aerie or Rihanna’s SavagexFenty, the angels are will need to learn to play catch-up.