On a recent freezing-cold Paris night, Victoria’s Secret held its first-ever fashion show in the city that invented lingerie.
The show’s mostly American models said they felt “goosebumps”—and not just because of the sub-freezing temperatures. They were also stepping out under the hallowed dome of the Grand Palais, the Art Deco temple where the luxury French label Chanel holds its couture shows. Karl Lagerfeld, the forthright Chanel designer, was unfortunately not on hand to give his view of the proceedings. Three of his favorite models—Gigi and Bella Hadid, and Kendall Jenner—were among the talent on the runway. The trio was joined by the likes of newcomers Martha Hunt and Taylor Hill.
And true to the brand’s brazen style, the spectacle featured a (slightly wounded) megastar, history-struck A-lister models—and a jewel-encrusted multi-million-dollar “fantasy” bra. Lady Gaga—the star draw for the annual extravaganza famous for bringing kitschy Las Vegas glamour to the catwalk—picked up a “couple of bruises from [the] dance rehearsal,” she told her 64 million Twitter followers.
The 35-year-old Brazilian beauty Adriana Lima struck a blow for older models, walking her 15th show on the pink-themed set. The mother-of-two had earlier said she keeps in shape with oatmeal for breakfast and a buckwheat drink before bed. “Eating buckwheat before bedtime actually helps you burn calories while you sleep,” she said.
Another landmark was Jasmine Tookes becoming the “first black woman to sport the Victoria’s Secrets Fantasy Bra in nine years,” after Selita Ebanks and Tyra Banks. She closed the show modeling the emerald- and diamond-encrusted “Bright Night Fantasy Bra,” which costs $3 million. Former Swedish professional basketball player Elsa Hosk also made her debut to promote the brand’s new sportswear range.
Although Victoria’s Secret has nearly 1,000 shops in the U.S. with $7.6 billion sales last year, it is almost unknown in France, where there is a long tradition of high quality lingerie. Among French fashion figures who attended was Balmain designer Olivier Rousteing, a favorite of singers Rihanna and Beyoncé.
And in marked contrast to the usual Paris fashion shows, even if the models were not wearing much they all had smiles on their faces. “It was very much an America-style fireworks show that shouldn’t be taken too seriously,” one not overly impressed guest named Ronan told AFP.
The star-studded show, which will be broadcast in 190 countries from Dec. 5, is being seen as an attempt by the label to break into the lucrative European market. To get in the spirit in advance of the show, watch a video of Victoria Secret Angel’s lip-syncing to “24K Magic”—the single from Bruno Mars, who performed on the runway—before enjoying more pictures from the runway.
—Relaxnews with additional reporting by the RealClearLife staff
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