After declining ratings and increased criticism, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has been canceled for this year, according to model Shanina Shaik.
“Unfortunately the Victoria’s Secret show won’t be happening this year,” Shaik, who has walked in the show five times, told Australia’s The Daily Telegraph. “It’s something I’m not used to because every year around this time I’m training like an angel. But I’m sure in the future something will happen, which I’m pretty sure about.”
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She added, “I’m sure they’re trying to work on branding and new ways to do the show because it’s the best show in the world.”
Victoria’s Secret has not yet commented on Shaik’s claim, but the New York Times reported in May that the show would no longer air on network television.
Castings for the annual show are usually held in late summer with the chosen models excitedly announcing their inclusion on social media some weeks after the initial audition.
A memo to the chain’s associates from Leslie Wexner, the chief executive of Victoria’s Secret’s parent company, L Brands, read that the company had been “taking a fresh look at every aspect of our business” and that the brand “must evolve and change to grow.”
“With that in mind, we have decided to re-think the traditional Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show,” Wexner wrote. “Going forward we don’t believe network television is the right fit.” Wexner added that the company would instead develop “a new kind of event” on different platforms.
The 2018 Victoria’s Secret show was held in New York City and scored an audience of 3.3 million viewers, down from five million the previous year. The fashion show first aired on television in 2001.
The brand also received criticism after Ed Razek, the chief marketing officer of L Brands, made comments about including transgender and plus-sized models in the show.
“So it’s like, why don’t you do 50?” he told Vogue, referring to sizing. “Why don’t you do 60? Why don’t you do 24? It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special.”
After Razek’s comments were published, Halsey, who performed during the 2018 show, shared a now-deleted message on Instagram that seemed aimed at the message.
“I have adored the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show since I was young,” she wrote. “Performing this year alongside other amazing artists and hard-working models/friends was supposed to be the best night of my year. However, after I filmed the performance, some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore.”
“As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I have no tolerance for a lack of inclusivity,” continued the singer, who is bisexual. “If you are a trans person reading this, and these comments have made you feel alienated or invalidated please know that you have allies.We stand in solidarity. And complete and total acceptance is the only ‘fantasy’ that I support.”
Photo Credit: Getty / Taylor Hill
