Though rarely uttered in the same sentence as legacy heritage luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein, there is a compelling case to be made for Victoria’s Secret standing proudly as one of America’s great fashion exports. Despite an output centered primarily on skimpy essentials—bras, underwear, and other barely-there underpinnings—the brand casts an outsize spell on consumers, not to mention the broader national sense of self. To put its massive economic footprint into perspective, Victoria’s Secret raked in some $6.5 billion last year, marking a notable 5% increase year-over-year. Meanwhile, its tentpole marketing bonanza, the iconic Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, easily attracted an estimated 2.9 million pairs of eyeballs. While other luxury houses and high-fashion labels may rightfully claim bragging rights for hosting the most exclusive and intimate guest-list shows, Victoria’s Secret can handily boast about being the biggest scale production in the entire industry.
The legendary Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is back once again, this time with its signature "angels" touching down on the sun-drenched West Coast. Eschewing its traditional New York home for this major iteration, this year’s blowout spectacle took place on the historic Sony lot in Los Angeles. The sprawling studio grounds were transformed into a glittering dreamscape where an all-star lineup of top-tier models—including Gigi Hadid, Paloma Elsesser, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Ashley Graham, Joan Smalls, and many more—traipsed the length of the runway. Their high-octane walks were interspersed between live performances from au courant pop stars who proved the brand’s enduring cultural and financial might. The heavy-hitting musical roster featured modern sensations like Tate McRae, KATSEYE, Megan Moroney, and Megan Thee Stallion. And, of course, the grand evening featured the much-ballyhooed return of the brand’s legendary Fantasy Bra, a curve-hugging, opulent piece of bespoke lingerie loaded with diamonds and revealed exclusively on a VIP model.
"I think that we’re sort of this idea of the American dream, and certainly the American fantasy," says Adam Selman, who has held the vital titles of executive vice president and chief creative officer at Victoria’s Secret for around a year and a half. Under his creative purview, the brand has been tasked with executing a historically tricky dance: how to be intensely sexy without being prurient, playful without drifting into cheese, and utterly desirable without ever feeling condescending to the modern wearer. "I think that along the brand’s journey, it’s done an amazing job of capturing that cultural relevancy," Selman continued, reflecting on the historical weight and pop-culture endurance of the label. "And the show really did that. It cut through. It still does that today as being one of the biggest fashion shows in the world and something that millions and millions of people tune into."
Selman recalls his youth growing up outside Waco, Texas, where his mother would instinctively avert his eyes from the local Victoria’s Secret storefronts when walking past. Later in life, he remembers tagging along with his female friends when they would visit one of its ubiquitous mall outposts during his formative years. Selman, who brings a wealth of high-profile design experience to the table having previously worked closely with the influential costume designer Zaldy and mega-star Rihanna on her own groundbreaking lingerie line, Fenty, was named executive vice president and chief creative officer last year. Under his tenure, he says, his primary goal has been to keep "the joy of the brand" front and center, while simultaneously maintaining a healthy, knowing sense of humor about its rich, pop-culture-soaked history.
"The brand has its own kitschy past and its own sense of humor—everything with a wink and a nod," he says with palpable enthusiasm. "And I love that."
It is no secret that Victoria’s Secret has historically been a deeply divisive cultural touchstone—viewed by some critics as misogynistic or objectifying, while embraced by others as old-fashioned, harmless fun. Rather than running away from this complex legacy, Selman has been able to layer a sophisticated sense of camp on top of the brand’s traditional boudoir romp ethos, imbuing it with a layer of modern knowingness and self-awareness. "I don’t want to dress women up like dolls or in costumes," Selman explains, addressing the evolution of the brand’s aesthetic language under his artistic direction. "I want it to be fun, and I want it to be serious at the same time, but always with the utmost respect for women."
This delicate balance between honoring the past and aggressively pushing into a more progressive future forms the bedrock of his creative strategy. The challenge has never been about erasing what made the brand a household name, but rather refining it for a contemporary audience that demands both glamour and inclusivity. "We don’t have to lose what the brand inherently stands for without being a modern, inclusive version of that," he added, emphasizing that the two philosophies are not mutually exclusive. "The two can exist together."
Ahead of the big night in Los Angeles, the excitement behind the scenes was palpable. Industry insiders, glam squads, and media personnel gathered to witness the massive logistical undertaking required to mount an event of this magnitude. Ahead of the big day, photographers were given exclusive access to capture the meticulous backstage prep, chronicling the hair, makeup, fittings, and last-minute adjustments that go into orchestrating one of the biggest and most-watched fashion shows in the entire world.
