On Tuesday, November 28, the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China aired on CBS in 192 different countries. The fashion show featured seasoned alumni such as Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosia, Lily Aldridge, Karly Kloss, Liu Wen and Martha Hunt. It also featured some newcomers including Estelle Chen, Grace Bol, Bruna Lirio and Alexia Graham. Included in the show were musical performances by Harry Styles, Miguel, Leslie Odom Jr. and Jane Zhang.
The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is one of the most iconic events of the year in the fashion realm. However, this year, it also drew some major controversy among its viewers. After the filming of the show, videos appeared on social media of Chinese model Ming Xi falling during her walk on the stage. Most responses to the fall weren't critical of Ming but rather heartbroken for the embarrassment that Xi experienced while representing her home country of China.
Many viewers assumed that the fall would not be broadcast on television. Those same viewers were met with shock when CBS viewed the fall during the premiere of the show. There are thousands of opinions that have been posted about whether or not CBS should have aired Ming Xi's fall. That said, I personally believe that it was the right thing to do.
Everyone knows that no one is perfect. It's a fact. People make mistakes, they get stuck in bad situations and they trip over themselves or their clothing literally all the time. So why is Ming Xi's fall on the runway any different? Social media users have argued that, since the fashion show is actually filmed twice in order to get the proper footage needed for coverage on television, there was no reason for the network to air the fall. It only occurred during one of the tapings. I think it was the brave decision as the fall was already posted all over social media sites. Why should it have been kept secret from CBS viewers? Whether it was aired or not, people knew it happened. What is the difference, you may ask? There isn't one. The fall is a testament to the bravery that Xi displayed by getting right back up and fiercely finishing her walk down the remainder of the runway.
Looking back at the 2017 Victoria Secret Fashion Show, we can recognize moments of courage and bravery of these incredible women. They worked incredibly hard to get to where they are today. And to Ming Xi, keep up the great work because you were astonishing on that catwalk.
