The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was an annual promotional event for the lingerie brand Victoria's Secret, running from 1995 to 2018. The show featured "Victoria's Secret Angels" - models contracted to the company - and served as a high-profile marketing platform. The show was cancelled in 2019 following public pressure and the resignation of organizer Edward Razek. It returned in a rebranded format in 2023 as a Prime Video special titled "The Tour ‘23".
The first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, introduced by Stephanie Seymour, was held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City in August 1995.
The first-ever Victoria's Secret Fashion Show graced the runway in 1995, marking the inception of an event that would redefine lingerie and captivate audiences worldwide.
The inaugural Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place in 1995, marking the beginning of what would become a highly anticipated annual event in the fashion world.
The inaugural Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place in August 1995 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
The Million Dollar Miracle Bra, a precursor to the Fantasy Bra, was introduced in 1996, marking a significant moment in lingerie and fashion history.
The iconic wings made their debut at the 1998 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, inspired by the success of the "Angels" bra line.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was webcast for the first time in 1999.
Tyra Banks graced the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show runway in 1999, donning the iconic Million Dollar Miracle Bra, originally showcased in 1996.
Victoria's Secret announced a 72-hour countdown to the webcast of their fashion show during Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999.
The May 2000 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was held in France in sync with the Cannes Film Festival.
Ed Razek stated that there was no viewer interest in a show featuring plus-size models, as they hadn't attempted one since 2000.
Gisele Bündchen etched her name in fashion history in 2000 by wearing a $15 million Fantasy Bra, securing its place in the Guinness World Records as the priciest lingerie ever made.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was webcast for the second time in 2000.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was broadcast live on the internet in 2000.
Since 2001, the Fantasy Bra, a highly valuable, jewel-encrusted creation, took center stage at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows, becoming a symbolic representation of the event.
The 2001 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was held in New York City at Bryant Park.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show made its broadcast debut on ABC in 2001.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show reached its peak viewership in 2001.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show's first televised edition in 2001 faced criticism, with some deeming it pornographic and others labeling it as pure commercialism. Despite complaints, the FCC didn't impose fines, citing the First Amendment. Notably, ABC blurred revealing lingerie scenes during the broadcast.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was held at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City in 2002.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show began airing on CBS in 2002.
In 2002, the National Organization for Women, alongside the Parents Television Council and other groups, protested the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, criticizing it as a "soft-core porn infomercial."
From 1995 to 2003, a select group of thirteen models earned the coveted spot of opening the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, setting the stage for the glamorous spectacle.
In the first nine years of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (1995-2003), seventeen models were given the honor of closing the show, signifying their status within the industry.
Starting in 2003, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows introduced the dazzling "Swarovski Outfit" and "Swarovski Wings," adding a new dimension of sparkle and glamour to the event.
In 2004, the centerpiece of the Heavenly "70" Fantasy Bra was purchased, marking a rare instance of a Fantasy Bra finding a buyer.
The 2004 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was canceled due to the fallout from the Super Bowl halftime show controversy.
2005 marked the last year that the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was held at the Lexington Avenue Armory in New York City.
Between 2005 and 2018, thirteen models continued the tradition, securing their places as opening acts for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
From 2005 to 2018, seventeen models took on the prestigious role of closing the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, solidifying their positions as top models in the industry.
Victoria's Secret's brand PINK debuted on the runway at the fashion show in 2006.
The 2006 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.
The Victoria's Secret Angels received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 13, 2007.
Kanye West was scheduled to perform at the 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show but his appearance was canceled.
The 2007 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show featured a performance by the Spice Girls and will.i.am.
Victoria's Secret disclosed the prices for the 2007 Fantasy Bra sets, providing insight into the lavishness and value associated with these creations.
The 2008 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show featured a performance by Usher.
The 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion show included the “Victoria's Secret Model Search”.
The American Decency Association spearheaded a campaign in 2009, urging boycotts of Victoria's Secret Fashion Show sponsors, including prominent names like AT&T, KFC, Netflix, Nikon, and Reebok.
The renowned jewelry house Damiani lent its expertise to the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2009, crafting the exquisite $3 million Harlequin Fantasy Bra.
The 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show aired on CBS on November 30, 2010, and included performances by Katy Perry and Akon.
In 2010, Damiani continued its collaboration with Victoria's Secret, designing the stunning $2 million Bombshell Fantasy Bra.
Alessandra Ambrosio made a statement at the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, sporting a breathtaking 60-pound Swarovski wing adorned with 105,000 crystals, with a base crafted from 23-carat gold.
Marking a decade-long partnership, Victoria's Secret celebrated nine years of working with Swarovski in 2011, showcasing their collaborative creations on the runway.
Kanye West paid tribute to his late mother during his performance at the 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Adding another layer of extravagance to the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, the Floral Fantasy Bra was accompanied by a perfume bottle valued at $500,000.
In 2012, Cameron Russell had the honor of wearing the special "10th Anniversary" Swarovski outfit, commemorating a decade of partnership between Victoria's Secret and Swarovski.
Karlie Kloss wore an outfit that was deemed culturally insensitive at the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
The 2012 Floral Fantasy Bra and Gift Set was successfully purchased, becoming another exception to the usual practice of dismantling Fantasy Bras.
Following the trend set in 2007, Victoria's Secret unveiled the prices for the 2013 Fantasy Bra sets, further emphasizing the opulence of these pieces. Notably, the 2013 bra alone carried a value of $10 million.
Innovation met fashion in 2013 as Lindsay Ellingson donned a 3D-printed Swarovski outfit, embellished with intricate mini-micro Swarovski crystals, showcasing the brand's commitment to pushing boundaries.
The 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show featured performances by several artists. Taylor Swift sang "I Knew You Were Trouble," A Great Big World performed "Say Something," Neon Jungle debuted their song "Trouble," and Fall Out Boy performed "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark" and "The Phoenix."
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show reached a viewership peak of 9.2 million in 2014.
In a groundbreaking move, the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show featured two Fantasy Bras, worn by Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima, each valued at an astounding $2 million.
The 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show included performances by Taylor Swift ("Blank Space" and "Style"), Ed Sheeran ("Thinking Out Loud"), Ariana Grande ("Love Me Harder," "Bang Bang," "Break Free," and "Problem"), and Hozier ("Take Me to Church"). During the show, Ariana Grande was accidentally hit by Elsa Hosk's wings.
In 2014, CBS bestowed the moniker "the Super Bowl of fashion" upon the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, recognizing its immense popularity and cultural impact.
In 2015, The Weeknd performed "In the Night" and "Can't Feel My Face," Selena Gomez sang "Hands to Myself" and "Me & My Girls," and Ellie Goulding, replacing Rihanna who canceled, performed "Army" and "Love Me Like You Do."
The 2016 show, held at the Grand Palais in Paris, featured performances by The Weeknd ("Starboy"), Lady Gaga ("Million Reasons," "A-Yo," and "John Wayne"), and Bruno Mars ("Chunky" and "24k Magic").
2017 marked the penultimate year that the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show aired on CBS.
Elsa Hosk was chosen to wear the dazzling 15th Anniversary Swarovski outfit in 2017, a testament to the enduring collaboration between Victoria's Secret and Swarovski. The outfit boasted a remarkable $1 million price tag.
The 2017 show, held in Shanghai, was the first in Asia and featured a collaboration with Balmain. Performers included Harry Styles, Miguel, Jane Zhang, and Leslie Odom Jr. Katy Perry's performance was canceled due to visa issues, and model Gigi Hadid was denied entry.
In November 2018, Ed Razek, chief marketing officer, sparked controversy with comments about not casting trans women in the show, calling it "a fantasy." He later apologized.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show aired on December 2, 2018.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was re-aired on December 7, 2018.
The last official broadcast of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place in December 2018.
By 2018, Brazilian models had worn the coveted Fantasy Bra eight times, solidifying their prominence in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows.
The final Victoria's Secret Fashion Show before its cancellation aired on ABC in 2018.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show returned to ABC for its final airing before cancellation in 2018.
By 2018, viewership for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show had fallen to 3.2 million.
In May 2019, L Brands CEO Les Wexner questioned the show's future due to declining viewership and changing perceptions of the company's marketing.
Ed Razek resigned from Victoria's Secret amidst criticism over his comments and business practices.
The official cancellation of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was announced in November 2019.
On November 21, 2019, Victoria's Secret officially canceled the 2019 show due to declining viewership and a desire to reposition the brand.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was cancelled in 2019 due to declining ratings, sales, and criticism of the show's organizer.
Victoria’s Secret chief financial officer Tim Johnson announced plans for a "new version" of the fashion show.
Victoria's Secret announced a documentary with Pulse Films, "The Victoria's Secret World Tour," to be released on Amazon Prime Video.
"The Victoria's Secret World Tour," a documentary following the making of four Victoria's Secret curations, will premiere on Amazon Prime Video.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was rebranded as "The Tour ‘23" and aired as a Prime Video special in 2023.
Victoria's Secret announced the return of the fashion show in fall 2024 via Instagram.
New York City was announced as the host city for the return of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, with Tyra Banks as the host.
Victoria's Secret announced the return of the fashion show with an Instagram Reel featuring Tyra Banks in 2024.