The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, otherwise known as the biggest runway show in the world, aired Tuesday night on CBS and was as dazzling as ever ... most of the time. The show was filmed in Shanghai last week, and with a new location and superstar musical performances, it was hugely anticipated.
Here are 10 standout moments (both good and bad) from the show, and what some people are saying about them.
- Candice Swanepoel’s triumphant return
Swanepoel is one of the more famous Angels, with more than 11.6 million Instagram followers. Her return to the VS runway after missing last year’s show due to the birth of her son was definitely an exciting moment. She opened the show to the crowd’s excited cheers looking as fantastic as ever.
2. Debut of the VS X BALMAIN collection
The first segment of the show titled “Punk Angel” featured looks from the new VS x BALMAIN collaborative collection which released in stores and online the morning after the show. All of the looks in the segment were super cool and edgy, incorporating an eye-catching mix of red plaid and fishnet and covered in silver studs and spikes for accents.
3. Harry Styles’ performance
Harry Styles made the runway his own during his first VS Fashion Show appearance. The former One Direction member belted out two songs from his solo album, “Kiwi” and “Only Angel,” and danced like he was having the time of his life.
4. Karlie Kloss’s return to the runway
Model Karlie Kloss was once a well-loved Victoria’s Secret Angel before leaving the brand in 2014. Unfortunately, she’s probably most well-known for an incident at the 2012 show in which she wore VS’s take on a Native American headdress and costume, which was quickly and heavily criticized. But this year, Kloss looked as at home as ever on the runway, and her self-assured strut made her return a success.
5. Ming Xi’s heartbreaking fall
Because the show was filmed last week, it was no secret that Ming Xi, a Shanghai native, fell on the runway. But many were surprised and even angry that CBS chose to air the fall and even show footage of her crying backstage after. It was pretty brutal to watch, but regardless, Xi handled the fall as gracefully as possible and still had her moment at the end of the runway.
6. Jane Zhang’s performance during the PINK segment
Jane Zhang is a Chinese singer-songwriter who has generated plenty of buzz in the U.S. since it was announced that she would perform in the VS Fashion Show. Her performance during the PINK segment was the most fun, high energy moment of the night, and fit perfectly with the bright colors and glitter the models wore during their especially animated walks.
7. Alessandra Ambrosio’s final show
Alessandra Ambrosio is a veteran Angel and iconic face of Victoria’s Secret and this year, she took her final walk down the VS runway. This marked her 17th show, and when she reached the end of the runway, she mouthed “I love you” to the camera in the sweetest way before waving goodbye to the crowd for the final time.
8. The questionable “Nomadic Adventure” looks
As mentioned before, VS has been called out in the past for cultural appropriation. In some ways, it seems like the company hasn’t learned from its mistakes. The “Nomadic Adventure” segment of the show was supposed to pay tribute to tribal culture, but instead, people are calling out the brand for disrespecting it. It’s a fine line to walk, and given the history of criticism, VS should’ve modified this theme to be more considerate.
9. Elsa Hosk’s Swarovski Crystal outfit
Each year for the last 15 years, one Angel is selected to wear a look covered in Swarovski crystals. This year, the stunning Elsa Hosk wore the outfit covered in 275,000 crystals and literally shone the whole way down the runway. The wings alone weighed 14 pounds.
10. Lais Ribeiro’s Fantasy Bra
The great honor of wearing the Fantasy Bra went to Lais Ribeiro this year, who has been an Angel since 2015. The diamonds, yellow sapphires and blue topaz set in 18 karat gold used made for a stunning look and a stunning price of $2 million.
