HISTORY was made after two transgender models walked the runway of Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Their names are Alex Consani and Valentine Sampaio.
Consani was wearing a light blue two-piece with the iconic angel wings on her back, while Sampaio had black lingerie, stockings, and a large ribbon behind her to complete the look.
After the show, both models took to social media to show their love for Victoria’s Secret, as well as for the opportunity given to them.
“This moment is one I will cherish for a lifetime,” Sampaio wrote on her Instagram.
“The Victoria’s Secret family has shown the world that being trans is just as exceptional and beautiful as anyone else on that runway. Inclusivity is crucial to the world we’re building, and I’m honored to walk with pride, love, and the hope of inspiring the next generation. Thank you, Victoria’s Secret, for making a long-held dream come true.”
Prior to this, Sampaio was also the first openly transgender model to be featured in an ad campaign with Victoria’s Secret back in 2019. In 2020, she became the first openly trans person to model for the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated.
When interviewed by TODAY.com before the show, she said that she was one of the few trans people there, which she was grateful for. She was also happy that she was able to represent her community.
She added: “Just being able to feel confident, that’s something that Victoria’s Secret really embodies, and I’m really grateful that I get to be doing today.”
Consani, on the other hand, is known for her comedic videos on TikTok, where she has amassed over 3.3 million followers. She recently starred in the music video for Charli XCX’s hit song, “360”, as well.
Issues in the past
Prior to this year, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show underwent a six-year hiatus. NBC News reports that this was because Ed Razek, the former chief marketing officer for the parent company of Victoria’s Secret, L Brands, said in 2018 that he didn’t think the brand should include transgender people in their runway shows.
He also used an outdated word to reference transgender people in the given statement. He explained to Vogue Magazine that it was because the show was meant to be a “fantasy,” though he later apologized for this statement.
Aside from this, the brand would face another issue in 2019 when, as reported by The Daily Beast, Jeffrey Epstein was arrested for sex trafficking. Here, it was revealed that Epstein had used his connections with Victoria’s Secret CEO, Les Wexner, to pose as a recruiter to traffic women.
In 2020, according to a report from the New York Times, the company underwent yet another controversy after it was revealed that there was a culture of both misogyny and harassment present within the company.
Regarding this, a spokesperson for L Brands would come forward to say that the brand has made significant strides in workplace and compliance practices, and state that they regret any instance in which they did not achieve this objective. They also said that they were committed to continuous improvement and complete accountability.
Victoria’s Secret would then look for more diverse representation, separating from L Brands back in 2021, as reported by the Huff Post. They explained that it was because they wanted to achieve their best opportunities for growth.
Given these issues, many saw the 2024 show as a huge step in the right direction.
Making changes
In the past, there were several calls for more inclusivity for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show even outside of the statement made by Razek. People felt that though it was already 2024, there was a lack of diversity and representation with their models.
In 2023, an iteration of the show returned as a runway show-slash-documentary entitled “The Tour ‘23”, which was aired on Prime Video, where Consani was also featured.
Prior to the show, Victoria’s Secret had said that it would make this year’s show inclusive, promising that it would deliver everything customers have always been asking for: glamor, runway, fashion, fun, wings, and entertainment.
This time, however, it would all be reflected through a modern lens, which represents who the country is today.
They added: “We’re thrilled to share a women-led articulation of this iconic property later this year!”
Hopefully in the future, the brand as a whole – as well as every other brand in the fashion industry – will only grow to become more inclusive, whether it be of different body types, sexual orientations, races, or whatever else.
