Victoria’s secret shame
Failing to adapt to changing world
The Victoria’s Secret show has never exactly been a paragon of empowered womanhood, given its premise of honed and preened models prancing down a catwalk in skimpy, jewelled lingerie for the pleasure of male viewers or to act as role models for the women watching.
But this year’s Shanghai-set show — airing Tuesday on Global and CBS — comes in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. In recent weeks, fashion, film and politics have been rocked by allegations of sexual abuse and harassment. The #MeToo movement of women sharing their experiences has created a shift in mood that meant all the usual arguments the Victoria’s Secret team trots out — namely, that it really is empowering to the women involved — look rather flimsy.
For the show’s producers, there was never any question that the show wouldn’t continue in its typical provocative style. It’s true that there have been no abuse allegations linked to Victoria’s Secret or anyone associated with it. Yet the culture and messaging of its blingtastic blockbusters still sits uneasily with late 2017 sensibilities.
The shows have only increased in scale, budget and volumes of glitter since they began in 1995. The Victoria’s Secret argument for this is that they are portraying women as confident and in control. Maybe, but they’re mainly confident about their conventionally sexy bodies (there are no plus-size models cast in the show), and what exactly are they in control of? Their much-vaunted VS exercise and “clean-eating” regimens? Of a career that’s entirely balanced precariously on the not always predictable fluctuations of their looks and the casting directors at VS?
It is not exactly a nuanced, complex, rich message about women. Rather, it’s as mono-focused as a 1950s beauty pageant. This year’s show was intended as a celebration of Victoria’s Secret’s entrance to the Chinese market, staged last Monday in Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena in front of an audience of 3,000.
“This is the Super Bowl of modelling — we wait for this day all year long,” says Sara Sampaio, a Portuguese model. “It’s something I had always dreamed of doing.”
The VS team is adept at drafting highly paid, gorgeous models who say how marvellous they feel prancing about in a pair of angel wings. Their other favourite argument is that the shows online are mainly watched by women. So that makes it all right then.
Victoria’s Secret has the opportunity to seize the possibilities of a post-Weinstein age. There can be lingerie displays and shows that are truly empowering and inspirational — just look at Calvin Klein’s softly shot images of 73-year-old Lauren Hutton in a comfy bra and white shirt earlier this year.
In this new climate, the potential is there to do something fresh and forward-thinking.
How frustrating that Shanghai stuck so resolutely to the same old script.