The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was an annual lingerie runway spectacle (1995-2018) featuring supermodels (“Angels”), elaborate wings, musical performances, and fantasy themes. The hashtag documented the show’s cultural peak and controversial decline.

Cultural Peak (2000s-Early 2010s)

The VSFS was must-watch television, drawing 10+ million viewers:

• Angels like Gisele Bündchen, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Tyra Banks became household names
• $1-3 million Fantasy Bra as centerpiece
• Musical performances (Rihanna, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Bruno Mars)
• Behind-the-scenes content dominated social media

Angel Status

Being named a Victoria’s Secret Angel was modeling’s highest achievement:

• Multi-year contracts worth millions
• Global fame and endorsement deals
• Pink carpet appearances
• The uniform: angel wings, lingerie, high heels

Hashtag Evolution

2011-2015: Peak Hype

• Live-tweeting during broadcasts
• “Get ready with me” VS content
• Workout and diet speculation
• Angel beauty secrets trending

2016-2018: Criticism Mounts

• Body diversity conversations
• Lack of plus-size representation
• CEO Ed Razek’s transphobic comments (2018)
• “Fantasy” vs. reality debates

The Cancellation (2019)

VS canceled the show after:

• Viewership declined to 3.3 million (2018)
• Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty show offered inclusive alternative
• #MeToo era made hyper-sexualized marketing tone-deaf
• Brand struggled with cultural relevance

Cultural Legacy

The show reflected and reinforced 1990s-2010s beauty standards:

• Thin, tall, predominantly white models
• Male gaze perspective
• “Sexy” as singular aesthetic
• Diet culture normalized (“What I eat before the VS show”)

Attempted Revival (2023)

Victoria’s Secret announced new fashion show format:

• Body diversity inclusion
• Less sexualized presentation
• New creative direction under Hillary Super
• Reception mixed; some welcomed change, others noted it felt forced

Competing Visions

Savage X Fenty became the counter-model:

• Size inclusivity (XS-3X)
• Racial diversity
• Gender diversity
• Theatrical but empowering presentation

The hashtag now serves as time capsule of changing beauty and marketing standards.

http://web.archive.org/web/20250530014620/https://www.victoriassecret.com/ https://www.vogue.com/