The incredible show that Victoria’s Secret has been putting on since 1995 ended in 2018. The show came back after 4 years and, yet again, left the world speechless. On this occasion, Victoria’s Secret took a different approach, as the live event was filmed and turned into a feature-length documentary. Additionally, the event featured the work of 20 designers from all over the world, in addition to custom designs created by Victoria’s Secret.
In a press release that was shared with BAZAAR magazine, the Executive Vice President and Head Creative Director of the Victoria’s Secret company, Raúl Martinez, stated, “This film is the ultimate expression of the Victoria’s Secret brand transformation,” and “it will be driven by fashion, glamour, and entertainment with a nod to beloved iconography from the past but in a bold, redefined way. We are so honored to offer our platform and have it explored through the lens and artistry of global creatives who celebrate the individuality of women’s stories and perspectives.”
Designers Supriya Lele of London, Bubu Ogisi of Lagos, Jenny Fax of Tokyo, and Melissa Valdes of Bogota will each produce collections using resources provided by Victoria’s Secret, and the documentary will capture the behind-the-scenes making of these collections. A filmed fashion show, which will also include a fifth segment showcasing pieces designed by Victoria’s Secret, will bring together all four of the previously mentioned designers.
Margot Bowman, a director based in London who has been following designer Supriya Lele and the team that she is working with, skipped the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show when she was younger.”I didn’t aspire to that experience because I knew I was excluded from it,” she said. “I didn’t aspire to that experience.” “When I was a kid, I weighed too much. However, the images are still ingrained in my memory; whether for better or for worse, they were iconic and powerful images. And as for me, I see this as an opportunity to create a new set of images that more people can identify with as well as find themselves in.”
The infamous Victoria’s Secret fashion show was discontinued by the company in 2019, following a series of controversial comments made by the company’s former marketing chief regarding transgender models as well as the lack of diversity on the fashion runways. In a visible feature-length advertisement for a large retail firm, The Tour candidly discusses queerness, bodily autonomy, protest, what it means to be a woman, and other subjects that are often not even mentioned, much less publicly recognized. In conclusion, The Tour ’23 was a great success, but will it encourage customers to purchase from Victoria’s Secret?