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Victoria's Secret Fashion Show to return with 'new version', Internet says 'better have models of all sizes'

Many models reportedly went down a 'path of eating disorders, poor health, depression, anxiety' over the body image standards promoted by the show

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is set to make a return four years after it was canceled, chief financial officer Timothy Johnson has confirmed. He revealed the news on March 3 during the company's 2022 earnings call. "We're going to continue to lean into the marketing spend to invest in the business, both at top-of-funnel and also to support the new version of our fashion show, which is to come later this year," Johnson said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Victoria's Secret & Co said that the company is "always innovating and ideating in all spheres of the business to continue to put our customer at the center of all we do." "As we've previously shared, our new brand projection and mission will continue to be our guiding principle," the statement said, according to People. "This will lead us into new spaces like reclaiming one of our best marketing and entertainment properties to date and turning it on its head to reflect who we are today. We're excited to share more later this year." However, what the "new version" will include was not specifically revealed.

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Why was the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show canceled?

The fashion show was first held in August 1995. It went on to run 23 more times in the following years, except in 2004. The show was canceled in November 2019 after it was involved in several controversies, including the company's founder, Lex Wexner's alleged connections with Jeffrey Epstein and body image issues. The brand was slammed for not embracing models of all sizes and backgrounds. In February 2020, a report published by The New York Times accused the brand's former officer Ed Razek of sexual harassment and bullying, and alleged he created a culture of misogyny. Razek denied the allegations at the time. 

In a 2021 podcast, it was revealed that considering the kind of body image that the lingerie giant promoted, many models reportedly went down a “path of eating disorders, poor health, depression, anxiety, and other issues".

One Victoria’s Secret Angel model, Erin Heatherton, reportedly said she had to take a substance called phentermine on a daily basis as it helps lose a pound a day. She said that when she was around 25, she realized her body had changed and “I was just a little bit bigger.” “That pushed me over the edge a little bit. It definitely led me down this path where I went to see this nutritionist who started me on this diet pill called phentermine, which my therapist later called ‘bathwater meth,'” says Heatherton.

“I don’t know. I was just like, ‘Let me Lance Armstrong this because I’m renovating my condo. I can’t lose my job right now.’ I started injecting myself with HCG [human chorionic gonadotropin, sometimes used in conjunction with phentermine]," she added.

Among the women who opened up about the brand's terrifying beauty standards is Australian model Bridget Malcolm, who spoke about suffering from an eating disorder in an attempt to achieve “sample size”. She also claimed that her agents suggested she do cocaine to lose weight. “I was reliant on anti-anxiety medication to get through the night….My body wasn’t working,” she said on the podcast. “I didn’t feel present at all. I was not there. I’m one of countless women, not just models, but women all around the globe who have been damaged by the story that they put out. And I know among models, it has hurt so many of us."

“I have diagnosed PTSD, complex PTSD. I have had really bad panic attacks and I’ve had some really, really serious mental health struggles that weren’t in my life prior to Victoria’s Secret and modeling," she added. 

Who is chief financial officer Timothy Johnson?

According to the website of Victoria's Secret & Co., "Tim Johnson is the Chief Finance and Administrative Officer of Victoria’s Secret & Co. Most recently having served as both CFO for Victoria’s Secret as well as the CFO and Chief Administrative Officer for Big Lots. He joined Victoria’s Secret & Co. in 2021, bringing seven years of experience as a public company CFO, along with broad experience in strategic planning, financial planning and analysis, reporting, accounting, tax and investor relations, as well as risk management, asset protection and security and distribution centers."

It adds, "Tim also served as interim co-CEO of Big Lots in 2018 with the company’s chief merchant. He started his career in public accounting at Coopers & Lybrand, followed by corporate finance roles at then Limited Brands."

Johnson's LinkedIn profile says he went to Miami University where he studied 'Bachelor of Science - Business, Accounting'. He is a volunteer for organizations like Nationwide Children's Hospital, as well as Marburn Academy. While the former is a children'd hospital and research institute, the latter is a school for students who learn differently due to dyslexia, executive function difficulties, and ADHD.

'Y’all better have models of all sizes and shapes'

Many social media users are not happy with the show's return, keeping in mind the "damage" it has already caused. Some users urged the brand to have models of all shapes and sizes. "We get fashion shows on the daily via TikTok. Most folks there are doing better than some of these taped-for-TV fashion shows. Did that song 'Victoria's Secret' from last year damage the company's brand just a little?" one user said on Twitter. Another wrote, "I wish Victoria's secret would just go away such a horrible company made by men who want to cash in woman's low self-esteem and body issues." "Women's voices and their unique perspectives" and it's only for skinny women," said one user.

"Their “new version” better be including plus size and trans models," one user said, while another wrote, "Y’all better have models of all sizes and shapes then like on your website." One wrote, "We want the same glam and cute costumes but with more diverse group of women and bodies". One wrote, "I hope we’re getting more body diversity". "Looking forward to the new, more inclusive gender-neutral angels!" said another.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.