Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Cancelled – A Change in the Industry?

For some, they were expecting to end the year and the decade with the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. However, all plans have now been cancelled and it has been announced that the show will NOT go ahead. Ever since the announcement, people have been speculating as to the reason and some have even been celebrating the news.

Over the years, it’s fair to say that the fashion show has become a staple of American TV, and it has only failed to appear once since the first in 2001. Appearing on ABC, producers and those involved weren’t expecting the event to cause quite so much of a stir. Yet, it has been on for seventeen years and last year, as with every other year, brought both the celebrity and fashion worlds together.

CFO Cancellation Statement

For those who have seen the show, you’ll know that the runway is accompanied by live music from some of the planet’s biggest stars. For example, 2003 welcomed Sting, Justin Timberlake took to the stage in 2006, and Bruno Mars gave a very memorable performance in 2012. For Stuart Burgdoerfer, the CFO of Victoria’s Secret, the changes to the timing of the show over the years has played its role.

In a statement, he said that the show was unlikely to have an impact on short-term sales as a result of it moving. According to the statement, lots of people have been asking the question of sales and whether the cancellation of the show will have a negative impact in this regard. However, he reassured everybody that the show has never really led to a boost in the days immediately after.

Although not a direct reason as to the cancellation, this has been the only response from the company themselves so far. Since they won’t experience a financial loss in terms of sales, they don’t see a reason to do it at all.

Public Response

How has the public responded? Well, only 3.3 million people tuned in last year and this marks the lowest point of a gradual decline since 2014. In the period between 2008 and 2014, an average of 9 million watched each year, but it seems the public have been losing interest. Could it be because of an overall change in attitude in society?

Last year, model Robyn Lawley called for people to boycott Victoria’s Secret and even created a petition against the brand. When news of the cancellation reached Lawley, she posted her thanks to everybody who supported the petition on Instagram. Meanwhile, The Cut, a subsidiary of New York magazine, released the news with the words, ‘Oh, Thank God, It’s Over Now.’

It has been a difficult period for the brand as Kate Upton, who has worked with Victoria’s Secret, even blasted the show. Before the cancellation was even confirmed, she said that ‘We’re sick of seeing the same body type. You have to be body inclusive now.’ Also, Karlie Kloss left the show, and it seems the brand is under pressure to change philosophy or face extinction in this modern world.

What are your thoughts?