Is there a message being giving in the Victoria Secrets Fashion Show or is it just a show we should sit back and admire, or look to buy?
The Victoria Secrets Fashion Show 2014 currently aired yesterday for the 13th time on national television. It is one of the United States largely viewed fashion shows and is broadcast annually. The show features many slender and nothing short of tall and fabulous women. Now the models and designers have been working all year round and about $2.5 million goes to charity.The designers construct the over-the-top glamorous wings and costumes for the models to strut their stuff down the lit up and animated stage. And for the models, a constant hunger strike to keep their body whipped in shape. Not a ounce of fat to be seen by the viewers on t.v or the anxious fans who paid $25,000 for a front view seat. Maybe hunger strike is to aggressive of a phrase to describe these women’s actions, but from my (admitted) bias views I wouldn’t know what else to call it. They eat very tiny to no carbs for most of their life and being “perfectly” skinny is their life career. Don’t get me wrong, I highly believe it is a fun and glamorous job and I understand why people would aspire to gain that position. I shop at Victoria’s Secret, faithfully supporting them on their over priced items, as well as watch the show annually.
Even with my love for the Victoria’s Secret/PINK line, is there something they are trying to tell us? Along with the harmless glamour, is there an underlining message or are they only selling to us and no fuss should be made? Regardless of their “harmless” fashion, the facts of mostly Caucasian and extremely skinny women can not pass my mind. I am on the fence with my opinion because showcasing their product on mannequin sized women for a “nicer” appearance tells us how are bodies should look or what we should be aspiring. Or would that be making a big deal out of just a fashion show. I just feel as a company looking to pursue women (even those who are not size 2 considering they sell large sizes), they should appeal to more type of women from different ethnic backgrounds and shapes/sizes. Because to me they are blindly supporting a “right body acceptance issue.”
Unruly Bodies 
Don’t quote me on that and I might be wrong, but some people said that if you have watched the show, and did not thinking about buying anything from their stores after the show, VS show is failed, because that was the primary purpose of doing the show so big, at least it was one of their purposes though.
I think you bring up a good point. I really do with VS would be more inclusive to other body types; they’re all long and skinny, some with a bit of boob and some without much at all. As to including more ethnicities, I’m not sure if I agree because they do have several women of color (all colors!) in the show. I can agree that a majority are white or white-passing, and so it does seem white-washed, but I do know that a few of the white-passing are Brazillian (the top two models, Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima, for example) and I know that they have at least two black women if not more.
I don’t really watch the VS show because as much as I love fashion and models, I agree that it does seem that they’re pushing for a certain body type as the ideal, but many of these women do really unhealthy and dangerous things to look the way they do, and that’s hardly the kind of lifestyle I’d be promoting.
Please don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say as my support with what Victoria’s Secret is doing.
I believe that because Victoria’s Secret is a business and in the fashion industry, their goal is to make as much as a profit as possible. By displaying their garments on tall, skinny, and beautiful models, they are getting women to consume products to try to look like those models. This includes giving into plastic surgery, consuming diet pills and health foods. Victoria’s Secret even has their own line of beauty products, and advertise it as what the “angels” use. They are trying to promote a certain lifestyle, to be wealthy, skinny and beautiful. By creating this unrealistic idea of beauty, women feel the Constant need to consume to try to achieve “beauty”. They will constantly consume beauty products, clothing, and surgery in attempts to “finally”, be beautiful. This boosts Victoria’s Secret profits, as well as other beauty and fashion industries.
Victoria’s Secret also markets to men by advertising their overpriced garments on “beautiful” and sometimes “exotic” looking women. Men want to support these beautiful models and do so by Victoria’s Secret’s products, in addition to using the products to make their significant other “sexier”. Victoria’s Secret uses sex to market their products; helping men get sex by selling sex related items. Both women and men will buy their overpriced products in attempts to obtain sex appeal and beauty.
Victoria’s Secret is not for everyone. Everything about the way they market their products and the price of their products show that. However, they have a brilliant business tactic which helped them become the most popular lingerie brand in America.