Victoria’s Secret Finally Gets It Right
The 2025 runway mixed angel wings, Missy Elliott, and Y2K mall dreams into pure spectacle.
There’s something about the return of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show that feels like both a cultural reset and a time machine back to my childhood. After years away from the spotlight and a return to their fashion show last year, the brand has been rebuilding its image — and this year’s show finally felt like the first time they got it right. It was nostalgic, self-aware, and a little campy in all the ways I hoped it would be.
Adam Selman, appointed as Victoria’s Secret’s first-ever creative director in April 2025, is best known for his work with Savage x Fenty as Chief Design Officer. Enough said. His arrival marked a major creative shift for the brand — one that merges high fashion energy with Victoria’s Secret’s signature sensuality. Under Selman’s direction, the show leaned into experimentation, playfulness, and artful glamour, signaling a bold new era for the label.
The Adam Selman–directed Lights, Camera, Angels opening video (set to an original score by Frescen Phanor) was everything. I adored this precursor to the collection — it was cute, campy, and dripping in that nostalgic VS energy I love. Those opening shots of Paloma Elsesser, Emily Ratajkowski, and Adriana Lima? Immaculate. It honored the icons while ushering in new faces — pure perfection.
The show opened in a wash of gold lighting and celestial music that felt truly angelic. A pregnant Jasmine Tookes looked absolutely phenomenal — her star-like wings were breathtaking, and that ethereal concept carried beautifully throughout the show. It leaned hard into “angel energy” in the best way. The Hedy Lamarr–inspired star headpiece that followed was stunning, and when Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” hit? A moment. The perfect runway song I never knew I needed.
Then came a showgirl-inspired section led by Madison Beer, drenched in classic Victoria’s Secret pink. I live for glamour, so the beading, feathers, and refined sensuality here were major. The star headpieces continued — one paired with a near-floor-length beaded and major Old Hollywood energy. The 1960s-style sheer babydoll lingerie dresses were another yes from me. My favorite look: Imaan in a black fringe bra and panty set with pink bow detailing — total Gypsy Rose Lee. And Anok Yai standing in that mirror for a BTS shot in lace? Jaw. On. The. Floor.
The next section, introduced by K-pop group TWICE and titled “Class of Pink 2025,” went full Y2K nostalgia. Fuzzy baby-pink boots, bedazzled “Pink” logos, and shopping mall vibes galore. We even saw a couple of beanies! It instantly took me back to being a tween wandering the mall and peering into VS stores. Some of the looks felt right off one of those mannequins. Quen Blackwell’s layered hot-pink look popped, and I loved the chrome baseball heels on nearly every model — straight out of Moschino’s 2014 playbook.
Then came the “Rated V” segment — sultry, bold, and “too hot and too sexy for some viewers.” Karol G’s silhouette against a red backdrop set the tone, and Bella Hadid led the “ladies in red” with total confidence. My standouts: Alex Consani in red satin pants with metallic wings, and Amelia Gray in a sheer gown with a back so low it revealed her behind in a g-string. My only gripe: the “Very Sexy” graphic tee looked way too SHEIN for such a polished section.
I perked up with the echoes of a Bollywood-style rendition of Britney Spears’s “Toxic.” The section that followed was textural heaven: sequins, lace, metallics, beads, and even liquid-appearing plastics. My favorite look was a pink-to-orange babydoll dress — dreamy and modern all at once.
Next came pure classic glamour — black, white, and silver pieces dripping in crystals and lace. Highlights included Ashley Graham’s timeless black satin set, Paloma Elsesser’s lace and galaxy-esque headpieces, and Amelia Gray’s caged hoop skirt reminiscent of Alexander McQueen’s spring/summer 2013 collection by Sarah Burton. The reintroduction of graphic tees here (“Angel,” “Icon,” “Very Sexy”) actually worked — layered over garters and diamonds for a Madonna “Like a Virgin” vibe done right.
Alex Consani’s silver tinsel robe? My dream piece of the night. The tinsel theme continued on Adriana Lima’s wings and Bella Hadid’s set — an elevated callback to the showgirl concept done perfectly.
To my very pleasant surprise, the next section began with dancers in full silver bodysuits surrounding none other than Missy Elliott. Now, I love me some Missy Elliott, and somehow I didn’t even know she was performing this year. So you can imagine my gag when I saw the words “MISSY” hit my screen. I “got my freak on” for sure. Though her image isn’t one I’d pair with Victoria’s Secret, it almost seems like having her was just an excuse for everyone to go to a Missy Elliott concert – and honestly, I can’t blame them!
Overall, I’m thrilled with this year’s show. It felt like a 2010s Moschino spectacle — campy, nostalgic, and sexy in all the right ways. It solidified the brand’s place in modern fashion for me. Sure, a few looks bordered on “cheap,” but that’s part of the fun — VS isn’t high fashion. It’s accessible, confident, and unapologetically fun. And that’s exactly why I’ll always have a soft spot for Victoria’s Secret.