Unapologetically sexy is back: Stars sizzle in sheer ensembles at the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show after woke backlash

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Many beautiful models arrived on the pink carpet before the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York City on Wednesday.

After a six-year break, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned last year with a more inclusive lineup of models, featuring plus-size and transgender individuals.

This year, Victoria’s Secret’s new CEO revealed plans to go back to its original, glamorous image, shifting away from the more inclusive branding it recently tried.

Madison Beer, 26, started the event with a striking look, wearing a see-through black dress that was quite revealing.

The design gave peek at the black lingerie she wore underneath, and featured two revealing slits. 

Jodie Turner-Smith, 39, stunned in a plunging frilly white mini dress that showcased her cleavage. 

Andie MacDowell’s daughter Rainey Qualley, 36, flashed her legs in a white lace mini. 

Whitney Port, 40, known for her role on *The Hills*, looked stylish in a sleek black dress featuring cut-out details.

Okay, so I just *had* to share – Idris Elba’s daughter, Isan, looked absolutely incredible! She’s 23, and she wore this amazing black mini dress with lace-up details – seriously, it showed off her legs, and she’s in fantastic shape! I can’t stop thinking about how good she looked.

Sarah Jessica Parker, the star of Sex and the City, turned heads in a chic black dress and coat.

Jordyn Woods, 28, who used to be close friends with Kylie Jenner, was seen wearing a stylish outfit that included a leopard-print puffer jacket, black leggings, and high platform shoes.

Patrick Schwarzenegger, 32, son of Arnold Schwarzenegger, looked sharp in an all-black outfit, completed with a silver chain.

The show will include appearances by several well-known models who have previously worked as Victoria’s Secret Angels, such as Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Doutzen Kroes, Candice Swanepoel, Behati Prinsloo, Lily Aldridge, Taylor Hill, Stella Maxwell, Barbara Palvin, and Grace Elizabeth.

Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls, Irina Shayk, Ashley Graham, Anok Yai, Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser, and Yasmin Wijnaldum are all returning for this season.

The runway show will also feature several new faces, including WNBA star Angel Reese, social media personality Quenlin Blackwell, model Iris Law, and plus-size models Yumi Nu and Precious Lee, as well as actress Barbie Ferreira and model Daiane Sodre.

The event has previously featured performances by artists like Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, and Cher. This year’s lineup includes Missy Elliott, Karol G, the K-Pop group TWICE, and Madison Beer.

For many years, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was a highly anticipated and glamorous event in the fashion world.

The show began in 1995 and quickly became popular, featuring many of the world’s top models.

By 2001, the show was televised live, attracting millions of viewers each year who enjoyed watching the beautiful models and famous performers.

In 2019, the annual fashion show was canceled after over twenty years due to public criticism of the brand’s lack of diversity, particularly regarding body types. This followed controversial remarks made by the then-chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, about transgender and plus-size models.

The lingerie brand is returning to its glamorous, classic style after facing recent sales difficulties and a lackluster reaction to its attempt at a more inclusive fashion show last year.

Hillary Super, the 53-year-old CEO who started in September 2024, acknowledged that previous leaders had let the brand lose its distinctiveness.

When I became CEO, Victoria’s Secret had a reputation for being out of touch and insensitive, and we needed to address those issues,” Martin Waters explained to the Wall Street Journal.

Following a 2020 New York Times article detailing widespread misogyny and harassment experienced by employees and models, the company decided to make its branding less controversial.

At the time, the brand was under the leadership of Leslie Wexner and Ed Razek. 

According to Super, many choices were made because the company was afraid of further negative reactions. This happened after they shifted from provocative marketing to a more wholesome image in response to public criticism.

The brand shifted away from its previously alluring lingerie, now offering more modest and simple clothing, with a greater emphasis on comfortable athletic wear and pajamas.

Victoria’s Secret began to focus on becoming a more diverse and inclusive brand after facing criticism for its past problematic workplace culture.

Casey Crowe Taylor, a former PR employee at the company, shared with the Wall Street Journal that what struck her most was how deeply rooted this type of behavior seemed to be, especially as someone who had always valued her independence.

She explained that this mistreatment was simply dismissed and seen as a normal part of life. It felt like a form of manipulation, and anyone who attempted to intervene didn’t just face indifference – they were actively penalized.

Razek immediately refuted the claims, stating they were either completely false or misrepresented.

He shared that he feels lucky to have collaborated with many incredibly talented people, and he values the respectful relationships they’ve built together.

A representative for Wexner, who had been linked to Jeffrey Epstein, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

I’ve heard that Jeffrey Epstein falsely presented himself as a Victoria’s Secret representative to a lot of models, both established and those just starting out. He’d basically tell them he worked for the company, which was a complete lie, apparently.

In 2019, Victoria’s Secret received significant criticism for both the declining quality of its products and the lack of diversity in its choice of models.

In that same year, Stuart Burgdoerfer, the CFO of Victoria’s Secret’s parent company, announced the annual VS Fashion Show would not happen.

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show made a comeback in 2024, showcasing a more diverse range of models. This included plus-size models like Ashley Graham, as well as transgender and models from various ethnic backgrounds.

After Ed Razek’s departure, Victoria’s Secret hired Valentina Sampaio, marking her as the brand’s first transgender model, to lead their new VS Pink campaign.

However, many people criticized the show, saying it was disappointing and didn’t have the usual elegance and style associated with the brand.

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2025-10-16 02:49