Catwalking away from the ‘fantasy’ and towards inclusivity

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The Victoria’s Secret fashion show returned after a six-year hiatus on Tuesday, and it has catapulted the conversation around diversity and inclusion in fashion into the spotlight. The show was cancelled in 2019 after struggling to keep up with changing societal expectations around body positivity and inclusivity and a scandal that involved former Chief Marketing Officer, Ed Razek, when he said he didn’t think the brand should include transgender or plus size models in its runway shows to maintain the ‘fantasy’.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that school of thought was left in 2019, but in September, fashion month was called out for its lack of diversity with Vogue Business’ SS25 size inclusivity report finding that 94.9% of models were a UK 4-8 while only 0.8% where plus size (UK18+).

“Prioritising diversity and inclusion makes commercial sense, as consumers continue to place inclusivity as a key consideration when spending”

Despite what feels like a steady move back towards the body types of the early noughties, fashion brands are still positioning inclusivity as a priority, with the Victoria’s Secret website stating that, ‘diversity, equity and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do’. The return of the once iconic catwalk show was set to be the launch of this new and improved image.

Response to the show has been muted. General feedback noted that there were improvements compared to the last show, with 50 models from 25 different countries walking this year, in contrast to 2018 where only five of the fifteen ‘Angels’ were non-white. There was also some age, size and gender diversity with a number of the cast members in their 40s and 50s. A handful of plus size models and two transgender models also walked which would have been unheard of for the brand a few years ago. On the whole though, the models body types were in line with what we’re used to seeing on catwalks and something that was pointed out by a number of commentators, was the lack of disability representation despite the brand having an adaptive lingerie range.

Prioritising diversity and inclusion makes commercial sense, as consumers continue to place inclusivity as a key consideration when spending. For example, 41% of Gen Z prefer to shop at brands that represent their identity, and 83% said that if brands better represented modern society, their marketing campaigns would be more successful, proving that it is much more than just a tick box exercise.

Carla Bruni headshot
Credit: Victoria’s Secret

Skims and Savage X Fenty are cases in point. Both underwear brands launched around the same time the Victoria’s Secret show was cancelled, with Savage X Fenty hitting the market in 2018 and Skims following only a year behind.  A central element to both brands was championing inclusion and diversity from the offset.

In its nature, shapewear is ‘neutral’ but often, that can overlook darker skin tones. Skims, however, offered ten colours, from ‘Mica’ for the palest skin tones to ‘Espresso’ for the deepest, with sizes starting at XXS and ranging to 5X. Additionally, the models on the website were not just straight sized (XS-S) but were also mid and plus sizes (M-5X). Without too much fanfare, the shapewear brand had positioned itself as one for everyone, regardless of size, shape or skin tone. The result of high-quality products and inclusivity? A loyal customer base that led to a $4 billion valuation in 2023 and a company that is continuing to grow, with revenue hitting $750 million that same year, up from $500 million in 2022.

Another trailblazer in diversity and inclusion is Rihanna who is renowned outside of music for creating inclusive and diverse ranges – Fenty Beauty was one of the first make-up brands to produce base products that came in 50 shades to suit a range of skin tones. This was translated into its lingerie line, Savage X Fenty. In 2019, the brand partnered with Amazon Prime Video – who was also the partner for this year’s Victoria’s Secret show – to put on its own catwalk. It was like nothing mainstream fashion had seen, with genuine diversity across size, ethnicity, gender and abilities. It didn’t feel forced and acted as an antidote to the straight sized models that had dominated the lingerie space for decades. In 2021, the brand hit $1 billion dollars and at one point, was touted to surpass Victoria’s Secret as the leading lingerie brand.

Savage x Fenty Fashion Show
Credit: Savage x Fenty

In 2024, it’s clear that demand hasn’t dimmed for inclusivity from consumers. In a study carried out by Mintel, it found that over 40% of respondents said they struggle to find items in their size and a third of women aged over 55 found it difficult to find clothing that suited their age. This isn’t to say that some areas aren’t moving in the right direction – the representation of people of colour on catwalks and in advertising campaigns has increased from 10-15% to 40-50%.

And despite the Victoria’s Secret fashion show not receiving the feedback it likely hoped for, it does seem there is genuine change on the horizon as the brand tries to make diversity and inclusion a more authentic part of its messaging. The appointment of Hillary Super as CEO in August of this year was a clear statement – she was previously CEO and a board member of Savage X Fenty.

In 2024, the fashion industry seems to be teetering on an edge and it needs to decide which way to fall – forwards towards more representation, or backwards to the ‘idealistic’ and unrealistic beauty standards of old. Response to the Victoria’s Secret fashion show makes it clear that consumers want the former, and brands like Skims and Savage X Fenty show just how successful harnessing that can be.

[email protected]  | @TheMBSGroup

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