Woke Angels: Trans, Plus-Size and 'Old' Models Trolled For Turning Iconic Victoria's Secret Runway Show Into 'Boring Parade of Wokery'
The Victoria's Secret rebrand has turned lingerie firm's iconic fashion show 'boring' and 'woke' according to viewers.
Oct. 16 2024, Published 3:01 p.m. ET
The return of Victoria Secret's Fashion Show after six years has been overshadowed by accusations the showpiece has turned "woke".
RadarOnline.com can reveal the backlash was sparked by the sight of transgender, plus-sized models, as well as catwalk veterans in their fifties including Tyra Banks, strutting down the runway as the lingerie brand bids to become more inclusive.
Victoria's Secret has attempted to become more inclusive.
But the decision to veer away from classic tall, skinny, young models, combined with a general feeling the show lacked its traditional razzmatazz and fanfare, left the majority of viewers tuning into the live footage on Prime Video deeply unimpressed.
Taking to X to air their views, one fan ranted: "Victoria's Secret came back with the most boring show ever," while another user wrote: "The Victoria's Secret show looks so modern and boring now, I'm disappointed."
The inclusion of transgender and plus-sized models hasn't gone down well with some fans.
A separate commenter said: "Victoria's Secret has yet to listen to our public demands. This is not the show we wanted. Everyone's hair is flat, no extremely tall models, the entire production is different."
Another remarked: "Victoria's Secret really said go woke, go broke."
The 2024 show in New York's flagship Victoria's Secret store saw Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio, the first transgender model to represent the brand in 2019, walk down the runaway alongside fellow transgender runway star Alex Consani.
The Fashion Show made its return after six years.
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Plus-sized model Ashley Graham also made her Victoria's Secret Fashion Show debut, joining veterans and former Angels including Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima and veteran Banks, plus next-generation stars Taylor Hill and Barbara Palvin.
Cher served as the headline performer along with Lisa and rising star Tyla - making it the show's first ever all-woman musical line-up.
Victoria's Secret has swapped "Angels" for "Ambassadors"
The "woke" revamp comes three years after the lingerie brand's controversial body-positive rebrand.
Victoria's Secret's iconic Angels were replaced by "ambassadors" including US soccer star Megan Rapinoe - and the company axed its long-time CEO in wake of falling sales and a exposé accusing the company of misogyny, sexual harassment and bullying.
The glitzy showpiece, famous for its leggy stars wearing 10ft white feathered wings, thongs and basques, was deemed a relic of the past in the #MeToo era, and was axed in November 2019 before its comeback was announced earlier this year.
Gigi Hadid opened the event wearing pastel pink wings and a glittering pink costume, before Kate Moss' lookalike daughter Lila, 22, made her Victoria's Secret debut alongside Leonardo DiCaprio's model girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti.
Legendary model Moss, herself, later appeared in a rock ' roll segment before Adam Levine's model wife Behati Prinsloo - who became an Angel in 2009 - appeared in a black skirt with a thigh-high slit, tie-wrap heels and silver chrome wings.
Also on the catwalk, after taking time off from modelling to focus on her Lyme disease battle, Bella Hadid strutted down the runway in an all-red outfit.
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