For more than two decades, the Victoria’s Secret fashion show was a spectacle of opulence, featuring almost size 0 models adorned with extravagant wings strutting down the runway to musical acts like Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, and Kanye West. However, this iconic event has taken a new turn with the release of a feature-length documentary titled “The Tour ’23,” debuting on Prime Video.
This documentary marks the return of Victoria’s Secret to the fashion scene after a five-year hiatus, attributed to declining viewership and a series of controversies. Instead of the usual runway extravaganza, “The Tour ’23” showcases four distinct collections by independent designer-artists based in Lagos, Bogotá, London, and Tokyo.
The presentations take place in a luminous Barcelona home, guided by emcee Gigi Hadid. Among the models gracing the runway are legendary figures like Naomi Campbell and Adriana Lima, alongside a diverse array of models including Adut Akech, Winnie Harlow, Quannah Chasinghorse, Paloma Elsesser, Hailey Bieber, and Lila Moss.
Prior to the showcases, short films spotlight the 20 female creatives, comprising designers and filmmakers, known collectively as “the VS20.” Notable figures among them include Piscis Canizales, a Colombian dancer and activist renowned for voguing in front of heavily armed police in 2021, and KOM_I, a Japanese vocalist formerly of the cult electronic J-Pop band Wednesday Campanella.
“The Tour” represents the epitome of Victoria’s Secret’s brand transformation, as stated by the company’s head creative director, Ral Martinez. It offers a broader, more diverse representation of femininity compared to the lingerie label’s previous image. For instance, Lagos-based designer Bubu Ogisi incorporates spiritual guidance from Yoruba and Igbo mythologies, while Tokyo label Jenny Fax’s Jen-Fang Shueh delves into the realities of middle age. (Although Victoria’s Secret will not directly sell these collections, some products inspired by them will be available online.)
