Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows

Victoria's Secret and Fantasyland

When Victoria's Secret puts on a fashion show, the emphasis is definitely on show. They've got supermodels strutting their stuff in impossibly skimpy panties and bras. Celebrity musicians play. Props like angel wings add to the glamour. The show always features one insanely expensive bra, studded with precious gemstones and probably worth more than your TV and the house you're watching it in.

But why do they bother? It's not like most of us gals can afford a diamond encrusted bra. And even if you could, when would you wear it? It's not exactly going to be comfortable for chasing after kids or standing up to do a sales presentation.

The secret to the Victoria's Secret fashion shows is that they're selling the fantasy. The men watching (hopefully) know that most women don't look like those models. But most men do love lingerie. The fashion show reminds them that it's something that can steam up their sex lives with their own wives and girlfriends. Perhaps more important, the buzz surrounding the show keeps the Victoria's Secret brand at the top of both men's and women's minds when they think of lingerie. It's also no coincidence that the shows usually air just before Christmas. The fashion shows may be glamorous, sexy, and even fun—but fundamentally, they're just one big infomercial.

Who's Behind the Fashion Show

For a bit of a behind the scenes look, visit the Victoria's Secret page at the CBS web site. If you're a fan of hot models in sexy lingerie, you'll enjoy looking at the pictures and reading the profiles of each model's career. If you're not, check out the rather insipid "diary" by model Izabel Goulart.

What the Shows Cost

Putting on a top-notch fashion show isn't cheap! The company has spent about ten million dollars on each year's broadcast. That money pays for in-demand set designers, makeup artists, camera operators and other crew, not to mention the models and performers like Ricky Martin and Seal. Some of the lingerie is designed exclusively for the show. Past years have featured musical numbers, dancers, and even a gospel choir. The total cost doesn't include the retail value of those gemstone-encrusted bras. 2005's version was for sale at a price of $12.5 million.

Presumably, the company makes back well over ten million dollars in sales generated by the hype surrounding the show. But it's not all about profits. In 2000, Victoria's Secret ran a benefit campaign, associated with a webcast, which raised more that three million dollars for an AIDS charity.

Too Racy for Television?

When Victoria's Secret decided not to do a televised show in 2004, there was speculation that they were reacting to the uproar over Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at the Super Bowl. A company spokesman denied the rumor. The company was simply focusing on other ad strategies that year, he said.

The show was back with a tenth-anniversary bash in 2005, and the models were as sexy—and as scantily clad—as ever. Local CBS stations chose what time of day to air the show. Some of the more sophisticated cities put it right in a prime-time slot. More conservative markets saved it for late-night or early-morning hours, when kids would be in bed.

Downloading Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows

The company's web site doesn't have any links to past shows at all. The CBS page has some video clips and interviews with a couple of models. But past years' shows, starting with 1999, were available on the web and a number of sites do offer links. Since web sites tend to come and go, the best way to find podcasts of past Victoria's Secret Fashion shows is to do a search online. Add the year, if there's a show you're particularly interested in.

Related Links

• Victoria's Secret Lingerie
• Lingerie Bowl
• Lingerie Catalogs
• Lingerie Models
• Sexy Bras
• Sexy and Erotic Lingerie