Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returns with transgender models

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’s glittering return to the runway made history on Tuesday as it featured transgender models for the first time ever.

In previous years, the glamorous show brought together lingerie-clad models, musical performers and a dazzling celebrity guest list before things came to an abrupt halt. In November 2019, the annual show, which premiered in 1995, was put on hiatus amid declining ratings and criticism for failing to portray women of diverse body types and backgrounds, deviating from what was considered the usual great , thin stature.

Two years later, in 2021, the lingerie brand took a new direction, announcing that it had parted ways with its supermodel “Angels” to focus on a range of women whose successes lie far from the runway. At the time, these VS Collective ambassadors included “experienced women” such as soccer star and LGBTQ activist Megan Rapinoe, actress Priyanka Chopra and trans model Valentina Sampaio.

The annual fashion show, which had long been a staple on the celebrity calendar over the years, seemed to be a thing of the past forever.

However, on Tuesday, the show returned with a presentation in Brooklyn, New York City, with veteran and newer models including Kate Moss, Alessandra Ambrosio, Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima, Carla Bruni, Joan Smalls, Eva Herzigová, Behati Prinsloo and Doutzen Kroes, Jasmine Tookes and sisters Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid.

In an apparent response to previous criticism, the show also featured a more inclusive bent, as transgender models Alex Consani and Sampaio, among others, modeled the company’s eye-catching designs that evening. Emira D’Spain, another of the brand’s transgender models, sat front row at the show.

Weeks before the show, a Victoria’s Secret representative said People in a statement that the runway extravaganza would “deliver exactly what our customers have been demanding – glamour, runway, fashion, fun, wings, entertainment – all through a powerful, modern lens that reflects who we are today.” .”

Newsweek has emailed representatives from Sampaio, Consani and Victoria’s Secret for comment.

Who is Alex Consani?

At 21, Consani was considered the youngest transgender model in the world when she began her career in 2015 at just 12 years old.

After signing with energy agency IMG Models in 2019, the California native experienced a major surge in popularity when she began sharing comedic videos on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Making her runway debut in New York City for Tom Ford in 2021 – the same year she graduated high school – Consani was named to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) 20 Under 20 list for 2022 This also included walks for Versace and Alexander McQueen.

For spring/summer 2023, Consani was named one of the season’s outstanding models by the fashion bible fashion. During this time she walked for renowned brands such as Chloé, Burberry, Boss by Hugo Boss and Roberto Cavalli.

She came into Victoria’s Secret orbit last year when she took part in the brand’s reimagining of the fashion show called “The Tour ’23.”

Consani spoke backstage at this year’s revived Victoria’s Secret presentation Paper Magazine: “I’m so excited. It’s my first Victoria’s Secret show ever. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe I’m here.”

This is a banner year for Consani, who was nominated for the Fashion Award for Model of the Year 2024, becoming the first openly transgender woman to be nominated for the award. This spring, she also appeared in music videos for singer Charli XCX and rapper JT.

Who is Valentina Sampaio?

Brazilian native Sampaio, 27, was the first openly transgender woman to model for Victoria’s Secret when she joined the brand in 2019.

She also paved the way as the first trans model to appear on the cover of a magazine fashion Edition, decorative Vogue Paris in 2017. She also managed to do this for the first time in 2020, when she appeared on the pages of Sports Illustrated.

Other magazine appearances early in her career included German and Brazilian editions of fashion And Elle Brazil. Her work also landed her a role as a spokesperson for L’Oréal.

Sampaio first walked the runway at São Paulo Fashion Week in November 2016 and has collaborated with a number of brands including Marc Jacobs, Moschino, Dior, Philipp Plein and H&M. In 2021, she became an Armani Beauty Ambassador.

After announcing that she had joined the Victoria’s Secret family, Sampaio modeled for VS PINK in a catalog photo shoot.

Before making her runway debut for Victoria’s Secret on Tuesday, Sampaio said People: “I will cherish this moment for the rest of my life. Today, the Victoria’s Secret family showed the world that being transgender is just as special and beautiful as anyone else on this runway.”

“Inclusivity is critical to the world we are building and I am honored to lead with pride, love and the hope of inspiring the next generation. Thank you, Victoria’s Secret, for making a long-held dream come true.”

Why was the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show interrupted?

In addition to criticism that the image that Victoria’s Secret projected a few years ago was somewhat outdated, the brand also faced other controversies and problems, including internal allegations of bullying and sexual harassment.

The company, founded in 1997 by husband-and-wife team Roy and Gaye Raymond, suffered a steady decline in revenue beginning in 2016, the same year that longtime CEO Sharen Jester Turney stepped down.

After being named president and CEO of Victoria’s Secret in 2006, she was credited with overseeing an increase in total sales from $4.5 billion to over $7.7 billion.

Leslie H. Wexner, whose company L Brands had been the parent company of Victoria’s Secret since the early 1980s, subsequently divided the brand into three parts – Victoria’s Secret Lingerie, Victoria’s Secret Beauty and Pink – and appointed a CEO for each.

However, the company’s image took a dramatic hit when Victoria’s Secret’s then chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, caused a stir in an interview with Ed Razek over his expressed distaste for the inclusion of transgender women fashion in November 2018.

He addressed the brand’s lack of transgender and curvier models at its annual show, saying: “Shouldn’t you have trans people in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It is a 42-minute entertainment special.

“If you’re asking if we thought about putting a transgender model on the show or if we thought about putting a plus-size model on the show, then we did. We invented the plus-size modeling show in our former sister division Lane.” Bryant.

“Lane Bryant still sells plus-size lingerie, but it sells a specific range, just like every specialty retailer in the world sells a range of clothing. Us too. We market to who we sell to, and we don’t market to who we sell to.” We tried to do a plus-size TV special [in 2000]. Nobody was interested in it and still isn’t.”

Amid a barrage of backlash, Razek apologized via Victoria’s Secret’s official Twitter account, stating: “My comment regarding the inclusion of transgender models in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show seemed insensitive. I apologize. To be clear, we would definitely cast a transgender model for the show.”

He added: “We’ve had transgender models come to castings… And like many others, they didn’t make it… But it was never about gender. I admire and respect their journey of embracing who they really are.”

However, the damage was done as critics condemned Razek’s comments in full force, which were released just days before the annual VS fashion show.

With just 3.3 million viewers, the show achieved its worst ratings ever – a significant decline from last year’s 5 million viewers, which itself was a record low. Razek would resign from his position in August 2019.

Musician Halsey, who headlined the 2018 event, condemned the show on Instagram, writing: “After filming the special performance, there were some comments made about the show that I just can’t ignore.”

“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I do not tolerate a lack of inclusivity. Especially if it’s motivated by stereotypes… If you are a trans person reading this and these comments have left you feeling alienated or invalidated, please know that you have allies. And complete and total acceptance is the only “fantasy” I support.”