NEW YORK – On 15 October 2025, the Victoria Secret Fashion Show threw its line back into pop culture, pulling in supermodels, athletes, and A-listers against New York’s neon sky. For long-time watchers, it felt like a strong bite on the line, yet the response landed somewhere between a keeper and a near miss.
This was not a routine runway. It marked the second return after a six-year pause that left the brand drifting. The show launched in 1995 and grew into an annual blowout of lace, wings, and pop stars that gripped millions.
Think Heidi Klum in a diamond bra worth a small marina, or Gisele Bündchen closing like a marlin bursting through the surface. In its early 2000s prime-time peak, it drew 12 million viewers. By 2018, ratings fell to around 3 million, and talk of irrelevance swelled.
The real break came in 2019, when the show was axed, the line cut mid-fight. Several issues collided. Sales slid, and the CFO shrugged off any post-show lift in bra sales. The bigger wave was cultural.
Chief marketing officer Ed Razek’s 2018 Vogue remarks, dismissing transgender models and scoffing at plus-size casting, fed a backlash. CEO Les Wexner’s links to Epstein added fuel, as did a lawsuit over workplace harassment and long-running critiques around body-shaming, including the ‘Perfect Body’ campaign.
The Victoria Secret Brand Tested
There was historical caution, too. The 2004 edition had been scrapped after the Janet Jackson Super Bowl saga and replaced with the ‘Angels Across America’ tour from Miami to LA. Back then, it was about the FCC; in 2019, it was about public trust. The lights went out, the Angels stood down, and in 2021, Victoria’s Secret split from L Brands, promising a broader view of beauty.
Then came 2024. The brand tested the waters with a runway revival at the same Brooklyn site, mixing glossy style with steel and grit. It streamed on Prime Video, hosted by Tyra Banks, with Cher on vocals and a cast that included Alex Consani, Ashley Graham, Adriana Lima, and the Hadid sisters.
Critics were split. Harper’s Bazaar called it a step toward inclusion, while Allure said it felt like a hangar full of skinny nostalgia. Sales ticked up, enough to set the hook for 2025.
This year, the team went bigger. Steiner Studios became a rolling sea of LEDs and crystal-blue sets, waves rising on cue. An all-women line-up kept the tempo high, with Madison Beer singing ‘Make You Mine’, Karol G in flame-red wings, Missy Elliott shaking the floor, and TWICE in smooth formation. The real spark came from two debuts that drew cheers like a tide turning.
Angel Reese Debut
Angel Reese, the Chicago Sky standout, made history as the first pro athlete to earn wings. At 6ft 3in, the WNBA All-Star wore two looks. The first, a pink floral lace set with a feathered rose boa, opened like sea anemones.
The second paired a sleek set with blade-white wings that cut the air. ‘I manifested this,’ she said backstage, remembering childhood dreams in VS sweats. She walked to Lumidee’s ‘Never Leave You’, shoulders steady, stride sure, energy high. It felt like a proper shift, proof that power and grace can share the same runway.
Barbie Ferreira, the Euphoria alum, stepped out for PINK with heat and humour. She wore a red balconette bra, cheeky pants, and an oversized denim jacket, a look with punch and ease. ‘Psyched… it’s a side quest,’ she told People, her walk doubling down on the brand’s move toward broader shapes and stories. Her post-show Instagram, ‘Got to be an angel for the day’, flew across feeds, a jolt for fans who grew up on Tumblr-era confidence and candour.
Even with the spectacle, the critique rolled in unevenly. Vogue praised a more self-aware show with actual clothes in the mix, from clear tunics to star-swept headpieces. It welcomed the inclusive casting, including pregnant models, trans talent, and Suni Lee swapping the beam for heels.
Marie Claire loved Gigi Hadid’s opener and Barbara Palvin’s closer, the latter walking despite a broken foot, grit wrapped in glitter. Others were less kind. IMDB users complained about lost elegance, yearning for the razor focus of Adriana Lima.
Some mocked the body-positive stance with cheap shots about pies. Allure’s earlier hangar remark echoed into 2025, with comments that the rebrand felt safe, a touch retro, wings dimming under the LEDs. Live shopping told a different story. Pieces moved in real time, with Angel Reese’s set tagged at £54.90, a prompt click for fans at home. Still, the whisper stuck. Was this true change, or only a fresh coat of paint?
Tyra Banks closed the night with a simple line, ‘We’re all angels now.’ It landed like a buoy in choppy water. The Victoria Secret Fashion Show keeps returning with the tide, flawed and fierce, still pulling attention back. Whether someone watched for sparkle or for a broader story, this year proved that big catches often arrive after storms.
