It's Official: The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Is Cancelled

Gettyimages | TIMOTHY A. CLARY

The annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has been an iconic feature of television every holiday season for many years now. Of course, most women are not super into watching perfect bodies strut down a runway in their underwear right after Thanksgiving.

But, we watch it anyways, whether it's for the music, the themes, the cute outfits, or general masochistic tendencies. However, it seems people are finally getting turned off of the show, and it has seen a major ratings slump.

This past summer, Shanina Shaik told the Daily Telegraph there would be no show this year, and was said to be disappointed at having nothing to prepare for. She said it's "something I’m not used to, because every year around this time I’m training like an Angel.”

She continued, "I’m sure in the future something will happen. I’m sure they’re trying to work on branding and new ways to do the show because it’s the best show in the world.”

Well, of course, the angels will be disappointed in the lack of a show this year, but it seems nobody else is.

Gettyimages | Matt Winkelmeyer

In an earnings call this past week, L Brands confirmed they would be canceling the show amid a ratings slump and sales that have taken a nosedive.

CEO Stuart Burgdoerfer said, "We will be communicating to customers, but nothing similar in magnitude to the fashion show."

In exactly what ways they plan to "communicate to customers" from now on remains to be seen.

The show has faced heavy criticism in the past for their lack of diversity, and it seems this has come back to bite them.

Wikimedia | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Victoria%27s_Secret,Dublin_Airport,_Ireland-_August_2014.jpg

Fortune reported the company has seen a seven percent drop in sales in the last quarter, and sales have been dropping since the fourth quarter in 2016. More than 53 Victoria's Secret stores are expected to close soon.

The famous brand has faced huge competition from labels like American Eagle Outfitters Aerie collection, and Rihanna's Savage x Fenty. Women are moving away from the airbrushed, exclusive look of Victoria's Secret in search of lingerie that truly makes them feel sexy and comfortable in their own skin.

The brand has dealt with some major controversy recently, and even some of their own models have turned against them.

In 2018, L Brands chief marketing officer Ed Razek made some controversial comments in a Vogue interview claiming Victoria's Secret would not hire plus-sized or transgender models. He was later forced into early retirement.

Karlie Kloss, who has walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show said, “The reason I decided to stop working with Victoria’s Secret was I didn’t feel it was an image that was truly reflective of who I am and the kind of message I want to send to young women around the world about what it means to be beautiful.”

Gettyimages | Dimitrios Kambouris

While the brand was super popular for many years, especially in the '90s and early 2000s, customers are looking elsewhere now.

It was a common occurrence to see girls from the millennial generation wearing sweatpants with "pink" on the butt and carrying around the iconic pink striped bag in the mall, but times have changed.

The brand has been heavily criticized for being out of touch and not keeping up with the times. It seems they are now paying dearly for their mistake.