Good riddance to Victoria’s Secret, the worst fashion show on the planet

Victoria’s not-so-secret axing.

After the news earlier this year that the Victoria’s Secret runway would no longer be aired on TV,  Australian Angel Shanina Shaik disclosed overnight that it’s been cancelled altogether citing ‘branding reasons’.

“Unfortunately, the Victoria’s Secret show won’t be happening this year,” Shaik told The Daily Telegraph. “They’re trying to work on branding and new ways to do the show.”

Branding, huh? Could it possibly be that last year’s show suffered its worst ratings on record? Or that their retail stores are doing so badly that they were set to close a whopping 53 VS outlets in 2019 alone? 

Perhaps it was something to do with those comments made by L Brands executive, Ed Razek, in Vogue a few months ago regarding diversity in the show. 

When asked if he should include transgender people in the show, Razek replied, “no, I don’t think we should. The show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special.” 

Whose fantasy? Personally, I’ve never fantasised about starving myself during a rigorous exercise routine, then going on a full liquid ban 24 hours before I present myself to a male suitor in a shitty nylon bra covered in rhinestones. 

Let’s be clear here; Victoria’s Secret has been driven solely by Razek’s fantasy – a destructive fantasy that pushes unhealthy regimens onto already-thin models in order to achieve his definition of “aggressively fit”. I mean, I don’t even know Olympians who do this in order to achieve “aggressive fitness” – and these girls are just walking down a runway in underwear, not completing a triple pike on five consecutive ski jumps.

It’s 2019, it’s time to bin this revolting runway show. I wrote that it should have been ousted way back in 2016. Perhaps the death of a multi-million dollar ‘lingerie runway’ to hock synthetic thongs is finally appropriate. Perhaps it is long overdue.

I do know one thing, however. If the response to Rihanna’s diversity-celebrating Savage x Fenty lingerie shows is anything to go by, it’s time for a changing of the guard.

Goodbye offensively narrow male gaze, hello sisters wearing lingerie for themselves.

Follow Bianca’s non-lingerie clad at @bianca.oneill.