Back in 1995 at the Plaza Hotel, Victoria’s Secret launched it’s legendary Fashion Show. The glitz and glam were minimal, the models carried a natural glow, and there were certainly no wings. Fast forward 24 years and it could all be going away.
After a year filled with more ups than downs, Victoria’s Secret has blindsided us all with the potential news of the cancelled show. Model Shanina Shaik told The Daily Telegraph “Unfortunately, the Victoria’s Secret Show won’t be happening this year.”
It’s important to note the news has not yet been confirmed by the retail giant themselves; but with one of their top models letting the cat out of the bag it certainly makes you wonder…
Model Shanina Shaik waving bye to us without even knowing the irony
So let’s dig a little deeper anyway, since its inception, this show has come with some major positives and negatives.
The Pros and The Cons
Surprisingly, some women have in fact stated the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show brings a sense of confidence and motivation. This is likely due to the behind the scenes footage of models working extremely hard, crying their eyes out after achieving their dreams, and gearing up to strut the runway – which all ignite a sense of Wonder Woman inside us.
On the contrary, there’s the blatant colorism, transphobia, and body image struggles that cannot be ignored.
Personally, after following the real lives of these models on Instagram for years, I can confidently lean more to the pro side. But as a dark skin black woman that has undeniably struggled with body issues, a part of me is glad to see it go.
But as a dark skin black woman that has undeniably struggled with body issues, a part of me is glad to see it go.
What This Means
As a brand, the cancellation of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is all bad! But here’s hoping their selfish past CEO learns a thing or two after flagrantly discriminating against the trans community and plus size women earlier this year.
His comments unquestionably put the brand in this downward spiral in the first place!
But with so much history and culture around the show, what does this mean for the future of fashion?
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is the ultimate dream for aspiring models, has trail blazed the industry with its anticipation and theatrics, and “most importantly” defines the “who’s who” of the modeling world.
My guess is this truly won’t be the end, and that the show may return in the future; but who will we look to till then? Some speculate that Rihanna will tell us through her Fenty brand, others suggest whoever Kendall Jenner happens to take a picture with, but the real answer is US!
What We Can Do Now
Well it’s fair to say women are reclaiming their time and this Instagram self-love movement is actually working! So now is our chance to highlight all of the world’s true beauty. I say we scream to the mountain tops about the Philomena Kwao’s and Teddy Quinlivan’s of the world. It’s going to be a small window, and our cries may even drown in the hype, but it’s certainly worth trying.
The media controls so much of how we see ourselves, so we need to keep fighting to see real women in these shows and on our televisions. So stand your ground and start cherishing your beauty, because we’re here! And Victoria’s Secret knows it.
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