Victoria’s Secret wants to get back in the game. A “new version” of the famed fashion show will return this year after a four-year hiatus. According to E! News, the announcement, was made during the global brand’s Friday 2022 earnings conference call.
“We’re going to continue to lean into the marketing spend to invest in the business, both at top of funnel,” CFO Timothy Johnson said, “and also to support the new version of our fashion show, which is to come later this year.”
CEO Martin Waters noted that Victoria’s Secret has brought in more models and ambassadors of diverse sizes, ages, abilities, and identities as part of the company’s recent initiatives.
The 2023 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show comes amid the cancellation of its 2019 show and the 2018 show where the company saw its lowest ratings.
In 2018, parent company L Brand’s former chief marketing officer Ed Razek did an interview with Vogue where he was asked about singer and business mogul Rihanna‘s Savage X Fenty show.
“Everybody keeps talking about Rihanna’s show. If we had done Rihanna’s show, we would be accused of pandering without question,” Razek said at the time.
“We attempted to do a television special for plus-sizes [in 2000],” he added. “No one had any interest in it, still don’t. It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”
After Razek’s statement was released, some people were offended by what they considered transphobic comments, causing Razek to issue an apology.
In 2019, L Brands founder Les Wexner announced the company’s reconsideration of the fashion show.
“Going forward we don’t believe network television is the right fit,” a memo read at the time. “In 2019 and beyond, we’re focusing on developing exciting and dynamic content and a new kind of event–delivered to our customers on platforms that she’s glued to…and in ways that will push the boundaries of fashion in the global digital age.”
This is the first full year Victoria’s Secret is an independent public company.