Victoria’s Secret rolled out the pink carpet at Manhattan Center on Wednesday evening. The brand hosted a party to celebrate its new fashion show, reimagined in a video format called “The Tour,” and while Victoria’s Secret’s 2023 runway looks very different from its heyday, one aspect remained the same: there was a lot of lingerie on display. As an unexpected silver lining, the casual dress was perfect for the near 100 degree weather.
“The brand comes from a turbulent history for sure,” said Priyanka Chopra, praising the brand’s latest pivot. “There was a time when the brand was telling people what women should look like, and I think what they’re trying to do now is support people and individuals to be who they are.”
Like many in the audience, Victoria’s Secret was a corporate presence for the brand for Chopra. “I just turned 16, and I remember my whole family was around me,” the actress said. “For my 16th birthday, my aunt bought me my first pair of Victoria’s Secret underwear. It was in front of my parents and everyone, and I was so scared when I was 16 that I said, ‘That’s lace!’ I kept them and wore them many times.” .
“I remember going to Victoria’s Secret with my mom and being so fascinated by the glitter and the bras and panties and lingerie,” said the “What It Is” rapper Doechii, who was preparing to perform later in the evening. “So me being here, finally as a woman, feels like a manifestation of that.”
The crowd included many veteran VS angels including Adriana Lima, Imaan Hammam, Candice Swanepoel, Taylor Hill, Lily Aldridge and Gigi Hadid, who narrates the brand’s tour video.
Aaron Rose Phillippe, Gigi Hadid, Iman Hammam and Adwoa Aboah.
Steve Eichner/WWD
“I’ve always loved all the models. I don’t know any girl who doesn’t know her,” said Chloe Fineman, who wore a bra under an open jacket. “Even when I just saw Adriana Lima, I was like — oh! “You just picked my jaw up off the floor.”
The audience was also filled with several of the brand’s new collaborators, including Aaron Rose Phillippe, a transgender model who uses a wheelchair.
“I love VS because they’ve really stepped up to a level at this point in their journey as a brand where they’ve become very accepting of everyone,” she said.
Adwoa Aboah, who appears in the tour video, reflects on the new era of the iconic Victoria’s Secret Angel wings.
“We had this wing moment, where we all saw wings,” the model said as she recounted her time on set in Barcelona. “There’s this idea that when Victoria’s Secret decided it wanted to change, no one wanted wings anymore. But in reality, there’s something to be said about who wears wings,” she added. “I’ve seen girls — trans girls, black girls,” she added. And bigger girls, Asian girls – and I saw so many different girls trying on these wings, walking in Victoria’s Secret, and that was an amazing moment for me.” “Because what’s important is how do we redefine sex appeal, whatever the word is, whatever we associate with lingerie.” “How can we redefine that to make it feel more relatable to us, rather than something that the media throws at us?”
Inside the pink-lit venue, Naomi Campbell appeared on the venue’s balcony to read a poem written by one of the “Victoria’s Secret 20”, a group of global creatives hired to contribute to the brand’s video. “The first rule about this planet is: Don’t look a star in the eye if you still want to live,” the model said.
Next, Hadid presented a 12-minute video.
“The goal was to give a new generation of creatives from around the world the opportunity to tell their stories and see their creativity come to life on the global stage,” Hadid said. “Platform? VS Show.”
“Lifelong beer expert. General travel enthusiast. Social media buff. Zombie maven. Communicator.”