When thinking about the iconic Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, names like Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel and Jasmine Tookes immediately come to mind.
Glitz, glamor and performance were key components that made the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show what it was. From 1995 to 2018, millions of fashion enthusiasts watched the show live. Some Gen Zers claim to have been raised on the show, watching since they were five or six.
The 2019 catwalk was canceled for a number of reasons: The show’s ratings were decreasing, it was expensive, yet not directly driving Victoria’s Secret retail sales and severe backlash from an evolving culture of body positivity as well as diversity, equity and inclusion marked the show as outdated. 
Oct. 15, starting at 7 p.m. EST, almost 3 million fashion fanatics — myself included — sat in front of their laptops and televisions, waiting for the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to begin. As the runway countdown flashed in pink and white numbers on the screen, from 30 minutes to 10 seconds, my excitement grew even more. Finally the show began, and I was entranced by Gigi Hadid’s enormous pink feather wings.
The 45-minute show gave us so many iconic moments that I foresee going down in fashion history. Countless “OG Angels” returned to the runway, and there was an increased showcase of gender, racial and body diversity.
My top five moments are as follows:
Bella Hadid closed the red section of the show alongside Cher, who performed in a jaw-dropping floor-length fur coat.
Anok Yai looked like a real-life Barbie with her bumped ponytail and sexy smize.
TikTok sensation Alex Consani became one of the two trans models to walk in this show.
Kate Moss reminded us that she’s still a rock star as she strutted at 50 to “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Last but not least, as an Afro-beat lover, I was entranced when Tyla gave a strut of her own.
Following the show, viewers took to social media, most notably TikTok, Instagram and X, to share their mostly negative reviews of the show.
A common sentiment was that the show was lackluster, low-budget and low-energy — largely due to the fact there was no actual runway. Unlike the glittery raised runway that placed the supermodels on a pedestal in previous years, the 2024 runway was a cold, steel gray.
Models walked at the same level as the audience. The greatly anticipated jewel-encrusted fantasy bra and iconic blowouts were absent. Even former Angel Romee Strijd spoke to her 1.2 million TikTok fans about her disappointment.
While the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show intended to represent who women are today, it fell short of this expectation. Instead, it just felt performative.
A few token plus-size models cannot erase the years of psychological damage and impact caused by promoting pro-ana culture. Moreover, having dry, brushed-out hair on Black models doesn’t accurately represent the diversity of natural hair.
Hearing supermodel Tyra Banks narrate the show’s opening, just to close the show with her sloppy walk was shocking and displeasing. Banks has been labeled a hypocrite because she got to confidently close the show and feel celebrated for her plus-sized body, yet she shamed and abused others for their own as a judge on “America’s Next Top Model.”
Despite featuring barrier-breaking transgender and plus-sized models, these progressive elements were overshadowed by poor production choices and a noticeable lack of grandeur that once defined the show.
Ultimately, while this year’s show attempted to align with contemporary values, its execution suggests that significant strides still must be made toward genuine inclusivity — or maybe it’s time to put the show to rest for good.
