Victoria's Secret Runway Show

It's the rare man who actively wants to attend a fashion show, but the Victoria's Secret runway show is something else again. A majority of men, despite assuring wives and girlfriends otherwise, are more than happy to attend a fashion show highlighting the latest in sexy lingerie.

The Victoria's Secret catalog quickly became hugely popular as the company grew in stature and recognition after its start in 1977. Many more men ordered the catalog than women. It was only reasonable for someone to recognize that displaying the catalog live might go over well and sell a lot more lingerie.

The first Victoria's Secret runway show was in 1995 and deemed "the lingerie event of the century." Four years later, however, the company topped itself by broadcasting a fashion show live online as well as in New York's Times Square. They were effectively guaranteed a large audience, seeing as they had advertised during the Super Bowl. The 2000 show was even more impressive, being held during the Cannes Film Festival and designated as a charity event to raise money for Cinema Against AIDS.

Starting in 2001, the show was broadcast on ABC. Millions watched and plenty complained, thinking the content wholly inappropriate. However, this didn't stop anyone from airing the show, which continues to be popular.

One aspect of the Victoria's Secret runway shows that makes them so popular is the use of supermodels. They are called the Victoria's Secret Angels and are usually the models and spokeswomen, and they also strut the catwalk. Top models like Heidi Klum, Marisa Miller and Adriana Lima are all Angels; Tyra Banks was an Angel for several years. In fact, the Victoria's Secret Angels was the first trademark to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Being an Angel is serious business –- they are some of the highest paid models in the industry.

The show has traditionally been for publicity, charity and entertainment. Contrary to all the point of most fashion shows, the clothes on display were not actually for sale. However, this changed starting in 2005, with the realization that men and women would both want to purchase some of what was seen.

The show is also a major event with performances by hot musical artists. Mary J. Blige, Destiny's Child, Sting, Seal, Justin Timberlake and Usher have all been headliners.

The Angels always wear trademark wings, but they can vary from the feathery white wings to those for butterflies or devils. Whereas the show started off as a basic runway show, it now features changing sets, themes and elaborate costumes in addition to the lingerie that is in the catalog. There is also always a "fantasy bra" –- an absurd confection made of elements that result in a multi-million dollar bra.

While some may still complain about scantily clad women parading about in this fashion, the show continues to draw a huge audience. Even in tough economic times, the Angels' wings can't be clipped, although it may be hoped that the company sees fit to make the fantasy bra something a bit less gaudy and more of a reasonable fantasy –- something recession-ready would be nice, or all eco-friendly.

Some also hope that when the show is streamed online, it will direct viewers to the online catalog, rather than the paper catalog. Although the company has at last made concessions and is no longer using paper from ecologically sensitive areas to make the catalogs, it is still a massive waste of paper when people can view the same wares online and go ahead and place orders there as well. If that aspect continues to grow, they will be Angels indeed!

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