It's Too Loud, You're Too...Old?

Victoria's Secret is looking to Gen Z nuances for its reinvention, and not everyone agrees. With a reboot that includes realistically wearable and inclusive lingerie, we ask: what could possibly go wrong when you lean into today's youth?

- Manfred Lu

When Victoria’s Secret — the number one lingerie brand in the world — announced a comeback fashion show after a five-year hiatus, the internet was dumbfounded at the return of the “Angels”. It was a valid response, considering that the brand had formerly paused its activity when ghastly scandals called into question its image and very existence. Once recognised widely for supermodel-approved risqué inventiveness of feminine wear, Victoria’s Secret’s demise came into full effect when the brand became inseparably tied to allegations of harassment and cultural appropriation. The infamous fashion spectacles have never been held since — the number of viewers dwindled from 10 million in 2010 to shy of three million in 2018.

Summoning the Angels back in 2023 could only mean one thing: Victoria’s Secret was finally ready to tackle its predicament. But how do you back-pedal an already broken image and make it worth brooding about? Unexpectedly, it chose to lean in on today’s youth for its reinvention — replacing its state of déshabillé for TikTok-approved outfits and models. 

On show day, the brand revealed the retirement of its signature Angels. Gone were the push-up bras and panties, and taking their place was the VS Collective — a group of women with commendable accomplishments and notably diverse body types. Even its infamous runway was scrubbed, replaced by a film filled with models who look just like anyone on the streets. The Angels we have come to love — and hate —have vanished.