Four years after ending its annual runway show after a backlash over its lack of inclusion and diversity, the iconic Victoria’s Secret fashion show will return in 2023, but not as a television special.
In the past, millions tuned in to see the Victoria’s Secret angels strut down the runway. In addition to the supermodels in one-of-a-kind pieces, the show delivered astonishing sets and world-class musical performances. Now, that creativity will return in film form.
“This film is the ultimate expression of the Victoria’s Secret brand transformation. It will be driven by fashion, glamour, and entertainment with a nod to beloved iconography from the past but in a bold, redefined way,” Raúl Martinez, creative director at Victoria’s Secret, said in a statement to the press.
“We believe we’re two years into a five-year journey in the turnaround of our business, and we have a clear roadmap to be the world’s leading fashion retailer of intimate apparel,” CEO Martin Water said during Thursday’s earnings call reported by Retail Dive.
While on the call, Jane Hali & Associates mentioned they’re behind the times regarding “image, product, and experience.” They plan to “spend more on marketing” and bring back the fashion show with a “new version,” the brand plans to make this year’s Victoria’s Secret fashion show a movie.
“This will lead us into new spaces like reclaiming one of our best marketing and entertainment properties to date and turning it on its head to reflect who we are today,” the company told Insider. “We’re excited to share more later this year.”
Former chief marketing officer Ed Razek resigned after a 2016 Vogue interview in which he said the fashion show “is a fantasy” and shouldn’t include plus-size or transgender models.
Victoria’s Secret’s inclusion issues might have been controversial, but the company’s ties to financier Jeffery Epstein caused additional scandal. In order to break free from its past connections, the brand is working “under new management.”
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