Lights, Camera, Angels: Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2025
After a six-year hiatus, the iconic Victoria’s Secret Show returned in 2024. This year, the angels are back again for their live-show premiere. The event was streamed across Amazon, Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube, garnering over twenty million views across the web.
The pink carpet featured some of the biggest names in fashion. High-profile guests such as Fashion Designer Jenna Lyons, were interviewed on the carpet. Hosting the pre-show was the legendary stylist, Law Roach. Roach is seen as a “fashion architect” to those in the industry, most known for styling his muse, Zendaya.
After stars like Alton Mason, Sarah Jessica Parker and special-guests wrapped up their interviews, Roach concluded the pink-carpet discussions with actress Indya Moore. When asked about Victoria’s Secret’s influence, Moore gave a tasteful response, saying “I think Victoria’s Secret had a historic impact on the way I perceive my beauty…they’ve always had a way of designing things that affects the way you see yourself.”
In the final moments before showtime, models took down their hair pins and slipped in their heels. As guests took their seats, the silky-pink curtains closed. Those in attendance only heard three words, “Lights, Camera, Angels..”
Opening the show was Model Jasmine Tookes. Tookes commenced the glamour with a surprise appearance, strutting the runway nine-months pregnant. In doing so, Tookes has joined two other angels—Irina Shayk and Lily Aldrige—who walked the shows with visible baby bumps. Following behind were the OG models who walked the shows in the 2000’s: Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes, Lily Aldridge, Behati Prinsloo, Joan Smalls, Barbara Sprouse and Alessandra Ambrosio.
Madison Beer was the first performer to hit the runway. Beer’s segment was full of pink pastels and glitter. The theme of the lingerie worn by models was inspired by the “showgirl” aesthetic, with feathery wings and bedazzled head pieces. Paloma Elsesser had the largest wings from the opening. The floral adorned wings towered over Elsesser reaching nearly six feet tall, a stark contrast to the model’s short height.
After Elsesser, WNBA superstar Angel Reese made her highly-anticipated runway debut. Reese stands at a stunning six foot three, becoming the first athlete to become an angel. She strutted in a custom floret lingerie piece, accessorized with dahlia-flowers and a bubblegum-colored fur coat. Like other angels, her makeup was kept glowy and sun-kissed.
Lead Hairstylist Jawara Wauchope, created the classic bombshell blowout hair on Reese. When describing the style, Wauchope said “we’re still doing the voluminous curls and waves, but sleeker towards the ends.” Wauchope emphasized the importance of the signature bouncy curls, as last year’s show sparked controversy when models walked in high ponytails and flat hair.
K-pop group “Touch” began the Pink segment of the show, the sister-brand to Victoria’s Secret. Angels walking were a blend of well-known models and fresh-faces. Influencers made cameos on the runway, some of the most recognizable were Social Media Personality, Quen Blackwell and Tiktoker Gabriela Moura. But these weren’t the only names making surprise appearances. As always, the industry nepo-babies were represented. Lila Moss, daughter of supermodel Kate Moss and Iris Law, daughter of actor Jude Law paraded the stage in Pink’s new athletic-wear line: sports bras, hoodies, shorts, and sweatpants.
Closing the show was supermodel Candice Swanepoel in a sparkling black-lingerie set. The angels behind her were some of the biggest names in the fashion world today: Anok Yai, Imaan Hammam, Yasmin Wijnaldum, Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid, and reigning model of the year, Alex Consani. Ending the event with a bang, musician Missy Elliot gave a final performance. Performing some of her greatest hits, with over twenty dancers, Elliot certainly made a statement on the stage.
As confetti and roses fell from the ceiling, angels walked one more time together, taking their final bow. Those in attendance can all agree, this year’s show was a definite step-up from prior years, which were labeled online as “catastrophes” by fans. But as always, self-proclaimed fashion critics were quick to judge.
Commenters on social media pointed out the many model-mishaps that occurred. Two models tripped and had garments stuck either in their hair, or on their heels. Fan-favorite and the youngest of the two Hadid sisters, Bella Hadid also had a major issue. Bella’s wings were fifty pounds and almost twice her size, causing her to visibly struggle with walking off the runway. Bella made a statement on Instagram poking fun at the haters, saying “Ok we’re not going to pretend these wings weren’t 50 pounds but HOW BEAUTIFUL”. The transparent post on her difficulty with carrying the hefty angel-wings, has since been deleted.
Fans also pointed out the brands stead-fast refusal on bringing back the “unattainable” image the angels once had. The show featured numerous plus-size models. Ashley Graham, in particular, disappointed viewers, after making petty comments in an interview when asked about the expectations agents once had for models’ bodies.
In the brand’s prime during the 2000s and 2010s, models went through vigorous fitness-regimes and dieting to maintain their “perfect” figures. For many years, the Victoria’s Secret angels set the beauty standards for women around the world. One person online said, “These women trained like athletes at one point, including plus-size models is great, but defeats the purpose of the ‘unachievable’ body the models once had”. On the other hand, some fans clapbacked saying “Plus-size women are women too, they deserve to be represented…but it does feel like a rip-off from Fenty”.
Despite the discourse, this year’s show was a legendary comeback. It can be expected that the event will continue improving each year, especially as the brand works hard to regain their costly budget.
Let’s see how the brand will kick it up a notch next year. And Victoria’s secret? That’s one thing they’ll never tell.
