Fallen Angels: Victoria’s Secret goes for diversity
CANCELLED: Models of Victoria’s Secret
Victoria’s Secret has clipped its Angels’ wings in order to make the lingerie brand more diverse.
VS has hosted the hottest and most watched event in fashion annually since 1995.
The shows featured the most iconic supermodels on their catwalks over the years, including Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel, Tyra Banks, Kendall Jenner, Irina Shayk and Gigi and Bella Hadid.
But the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was cancelled in 2019.
VS chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, had quit after claiming the public wasn’t interested in seeing plus-size or transgender models.
And after facing criticism over a lack of diversity with its selection of Angels, the company has now rebranded and announced The VS Collective, made up of spokespersons including actress Priyanka Chopra, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, model and skier Eileen Gu, plus-size beauty Paloma Elsesser, and model Valentina Sampaio.
The new generation of spokeswomen will not pose in lingerie, but will instead appear on a podcast to discuss their stories.
Priyanka says: “As we work together to chart the path forward in a new and impactful way, I’m not only looking forward to developing future collections that are inclusive of all people, but I am most excited for new customers and for those who have always been a customer of Victoria’s Secret to feel represented and like they belong."
CEO Martin Waters said it’s a “dramatic shift” as the brand turns the focus on what women want and need.
He said: “At Victoria's Secret, we are on an incredible journey to become the world’s leading advocate for women. This is a dramatic shift for our brand, and it’s a shift that we embrace from our core.
As well as The VS Collective, the Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancers has been unveiled, which plans to raise “at least $5 million annually to examine and address racial and gender inequities and unlock new innovations that improve cancer outcomes for all women”.