On December 8th, the 20th annual Victoria Secret Fashion Show aired on CBS. With anticipation of the annual viewers, the Victoria Secret YouTube channel had been releasing behind-the scenes videos and revealing which artists would be performing. Along with their YouTube channel, they've been posting pictures on social media, as well as making a Snapchat story during the taping of the show.
With viewership at 9.71 million in 2013 and 9.1 million in 2014, the VS Fashion Show dominates TV ratings once a year. The majority of these viewers are between the 18-to-49-year-old demographic. They watch these models strut and dance up and down the runway to songs from the top 40 artists. While this is going on, many girls tweet about how their favorite model "slayed the runway." They even begin to envy their looks, bodies, and lifestyle.
As the fashion industry and growing social media images of the "ideal" body type spread, the VS Fashion Show receives constant criticism for causing worsening body image issues and eating disorders in females, particular in adolescents. As a 19 year old girl, I have never, and will never, tune in to watch the VS Fashion Show. Although I get all my bras from pink and shop regularly at these stores, I do not particularly like what this show stands for.
The company has created its own image of what a beautiful and sexy woman should look like. Whether it's magazines or the fashion show, they spread this image to women across the country. Women believe they should look like the models when they are trying on Victoria's Secret clothing, so they strive to change their own bodies, and if they cannot change their bodies, then their confidence plummets.
If anything, the VS Fashion Show serves as a reminder to women to hit the gym as soon as possible. If the meaning of the show was to just buy products, it's long gone. For Victoria Secret to consistently use the same type of women for their shows becomes very defeating. But here I am, counting the days till Christmas so I can run to the mall to buy myself some new yoga pants at Pink.
.. Maybe that's Victoria's Secret.
