The Victoria’s Secret show is officially back, baby. The runway, cancelled in 2019 after a drop in ratings and widespread criticism for its lack of body diversity, has entered a new era. VS alum like Alessandra Ambrosio, Bella Hadid, Heidi Klum and Jasmine Tookes walked the runway alongside newbies like basketball player Angel Reese and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, showcasing glitz, glamour, and more body diversity than we’ve seen on a runway for several seasons. In the Ozempic era, we’ll take a win where we can.
However, it did bring back memories of Victoria’s Secret’s ‘Train Like An Angel’ YouTube series. Raise your hand if you were personally victimised by the angels and supermodel trainer Justin Gelband telling you to do long-ass planks and clamshells to achieve something called “runway butt”.
It was truly a wild time to be a teen, dealing with puberty as well as self-discovery, and in that era, I really thought that Victoria’s Secret was the one-stop shop on how to be pretty. Not only were tall, ultra-thin white women held up as the ultimate beauty standard, but thanks to the ‘Train Like An Angel’ series, the incorrect message was sold that you, too, could look like a VS Angel if you only followed the right workout plan. Never mind the role genetics, personal trainers, chefs, and — let’s face it — eating disorders played. You too could have Candice Swanepoel’s abs with this 30-minute workout!
It’s a stark change to the 2020s Victoria’s Secret (which coincided with new ownership and a dollar-driving wake-up call courtesy of Rihanna‘s Savage x Fenty show). Last year, the maligned brand staged its comeback fashion show, promising folks a display of “who we are today”.
This meant models of all shapes, sizes and walks of life were invited to strut their stuff down that runway, declaring that everyone is SEXAAAY.
Despite this positive change, the show did receive some backlash, especially around Ashley Graham‘s walk.
You see, while the lingerie brand wanted to champion all shapes and sizes, some comments begged for “OG” Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show “vibes”.
But thankfully, the lingerie overlords didn’t back down, delivering a spectacular 2025 show featuring models of all sizes, as well as some of your fave influential icons, such as Quen Blackwell and athletes Angel Reese and Suni Lee.
And although the training content on Victoria’s Secret YouTube has died down, it appears that anything “training” related is in support of their activewear items.
We’ve come a loooooong way since the toxic diet culture of the 2010s, with the body positivity movement helping me, alongside many other women, grow out of that mindset. And while I was cooked over those training abs, doing anything and everything for that angel body (despite being a literal teenager), it’s nice to see a brand like Victoria’s Secret unapologetically enter its new era.
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