The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is undoubtedly the most hotly anticipated runway show of the year. With wider appeal than the high fashion runway shows of global Fashion Month, show tickets go for upwards of £12k, that’s if you’re deemed ‘suitable’ enough to be in the audience; and the TV show is watched by millions. The show is a spectacle, it’s a runway show like no other and the VS Angels, are like no other Brand Ambassadors you’ve seen before.
Costing around £10 million to produce, the VS Fashion show is shown in a different country every December and one lucky Angel is selected to wear the coveted Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra, a responsibility that will send that Angel’s modelling career stratospheric once the show is over. We’re drip fed details about the show as soon as the casting process begins in August, Victoria’s Secret is a slick marketing machine that knows exactly how to keep fans and followers on the hook, begging for more. So, what do we know so far about the 2017 Victoria’s Secret fashion Show?
The Venue
There’s a lot of speculation that Angel Airlines will be headed to China in 2017, and more specifically, to Shanghai. The brand has 26 physical stores in China and some of the Angels travelled to open Shanghai’s first Victoria’s Secret store in March, fuelling rumours that the 2017 VS Fashion Show will take place there. The brand itself holds a press call to announce the venue in late September so we’ll know for sure very soon.
The Rookies
Every year VS Angels opens up its Angel Academy to new blood. Last year the show saw a whopping 18 rookies take to the runway for the biggest show to date, and we’re expecting big things from Ed Razek this year in terms of new talent. One name swirling is Hailey Baldwin, the all American girl is the perfect pick for the VS Fashion Show and I’m excited to see who else might be rostered this year.
Which Angels will walk?
This is usually unveiled in November however it’s thought that Gigi and Bella Hadid will make a return to the runway after their success at the 2016 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Kendall Jenner’s place is uncertain given her disastrous year so far, she has Fashion Month to redeem herself, although the casting process is in advance of that so whether she’s rostered is anyone’s guess. The veteran angels are a shoo-in, Alessandra Ambrosio, Adriana Lima, Elsa Hosk et al will undoubtedly return, they’re brand assets and Razek will want them out there on the runway doing what they do best.
We know who won’t be walking, Karlie Kloss and Doutzen Kroes hung up their wings in 2015 and 2016 respectively although Kloss was rumoured to be coming out of retirement….
The Live Performers
Every year the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show ups its game in terms of musical performance and 2016 was up there with the best. After the success of sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid walking in the 2016 show and all eyes on recently separated Bella Hadid and Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) who performed on stage as she walked the show, it’s a possibility that we may see Zayn performing at the 2017 show. Rihanna cancelled her performer spot at the 2015 VS Fashion Show at the last minute and was replaced with Ellie Goulding (ugh), could we see Rihanna back on stage for the 2017 show? There’s also talk of Justin Bieber making an appearance but we’ll just skirt over that one for now…
The Fantasy Bra
Each year an Angel (or maybe more) is selected to wear the centrepiece that the show is built around, the jewel encrusted Fantasy Bra. Wearing the Fantasy bra is a huge deal for the Angel wearing it, the fittings are filmed and publicised, the presentation of the bra to its Angel is publicised, and there are press shots prior to the show, showcasing the multi-million pound piece. Once the final cast has been announced, news of the design and wearer follows pretty quickly.
Pink Dressing Gowns
They’re updated every season and given a new look, but every year there are pink dressing gowns back stage at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show! There’s a carefully curated backstage environmente and in between show segment the screens will cut to the backstage area for candid shots and interviews, you’ll be seeing a lot of those pink dressing gowns! Being the marketing machine that it is, Victoria’s Secret also produces a limited run of dressing gowns in a similar style which go up for sale in stores at Christmas time.
The Wings
The wings are one of the best bits about the show! Each piece takes up to two years to make and they’re all made by hand. It can take hours to fit them to each Angel and during each subsequent fitting and rehearsal until the fitting mechanisms are finalised, all for two minutes of runway time. After the show, the most memorable wings tour the Victoria’s Secret stores and for the immediate 12 months following the show, you’ll be available to view them in their hometown Victoria’s Secret store, with the details of who wore them on the runway. Pretty cool right?!
I’ll bring you more news on the 2017 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show as I get it, in the meantime, read about potential VS Angel Hailey Baldwin’s casting here.
Pixie xo