Well ladies, hang up your wings, because apparently the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is not happening this year. That’s right, Kendall Jenner and her crew of insanely attractive friends will have to find something else to do this fall. Sad! The news of the fashion show’s cancelation comes from Shanina Shaik, who has walked in the show several times. While it hasn’t been confirmed yet, if Shanina is correct, this will be the first time in over 20 years that the angels won’t be walking the runway.
Shanina Shaik shared the news when speaking to The Daily Telegraph, an Australian publication. She said, “It’s something I’m not used to because every year around this time I’m training like an Angel.” It’s important to note that while Shanina Shaik has walked in the runway show five times over the past decade, she’s never technically been one of the official Victoria’s Secret Angels. I believe that Shanina probably knows what she’s talking about, it seems very random that she’s the one to be breaking this news. Victoria’s Secret still hasn’t commented, so like, was Shanina supposed to bring this up?
Shanina Shaik also told The Daily Telegraph that Victoria’s Secret is “trying to work on branding and new ways to do the show.” That’s probably a good thing, considering that the brand has come under a lot of fire in recent years for its refusal to include diverse body types or trans women in the show. Last November, VS President Edward Razek told Vogue in an interview that he didn’t feel transgender models belonged in the show “because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.” Razek was rightly blasted by basically everyone for these comments, and he backtracked, issuing a statement that VS “would absolutely cast a transgender model for the show.” Sure, Jan.
All of the internet @ Edward Razek:
Shanina Shaik’s statement about the cancelation isn’t the first news of changes to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in 2019. In May, Les Wexner, the CEO of L Brands (VS’ parent company), sent a memo announcing that the show wouldn’t be broadcast on network television for the first time since 2ooo. While Wexner claimed in the memo that he no longer felt that network TV was the “right fit” for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, I have a feeling it wasn’t fully his choice. Ratings have not been great for the show in recent years, and last year’s show was the lowest-rated ever. The show moved from CBS to ABC last year for the first time since 2001, and I’m sure ABC wasn’t impressed with how it performed.
So, are we sad about the loss of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show? Back when I was in college, all my friends would make a drinking game for the show, and watch together in a dorm room. Good times. Since then, I’ve started to care less and less about the fashion show, but I won’t lie, I’ve always kind of loved the idea of the Victoria’s Secret Angels. The outfits are exciting and over-the-top, and there have been some great performances at the show over the years.
But in 2019, the lack of diversity, especially in body types, really doesn’t cut it anymore. If anything, I hope they take this year off to regroup, and then the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show can come back better than ever, as a true celebration of what makes all women sexy. No shade to Adriana Lima and co., but VS has to evolve to stay relevant. It’s not just a matter of hiring one plus-size model, but rather rethinking the entire approach to what makes a Victoria’s Secret Angel.
Whether or not the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show happens again in the future, it’s probably for the best that they’re taking this year off. What are your thoughts about the future of the VS Fashion Show? Are you happy? Will you miss the fantasy bra (hi, this is me)? Let me know in the comments!
Images: Shutterstock; shaninamshaik / Instagram; Giphy
