Though it is rarely uttered in the same breath as heritage luxury houses like Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein, there is a compelling case to be made for Victoria’s Secret as one of America’s most influential and enduring fashion exports. Despite its core output consisting primarily of skimpy underpinnings—bras, underwear, and other barely-there layers—the brand casts an outsize, almost hypnotic spell on everyday consumers, not to mention the broader national sense of style and self.
The numbers alone speak volumes about its enduring commercial footprint. Last year, Victoria’s Secret raked in an impressive $6.5 billion, marking a 5 percent increase year-over-year. Meanwhile, its tentpole marketing bonanza—the globally recognized Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show—attracted an estimated 2.9 million viewers. While competing fashion labels may proudly claim bragging rights for hosting the most exclusive, invite-only presentations in European capitals, Victoria’s Secret can handily boast about orchestrating arguably the biggest, most widely watched spectacle in the entire industry.
Now, the iconic Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is back once again, marking a major return for the brand after years of shifting cultural landscapes and corporate introspection. This time, the company’s famous "angels" have touched down on the West Coast for a massive production. This year’s blowout takes place on the historic Sony lot in Los Angeles, transforming a legendary Hollywood studio space into a glittering, high-energy runway spectacle.
The star-studded event featured a lineup of premier, A-list models—including Gigi Hadid, Paloma Elsesser, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Ashley Graham, and Joan Smalls—who traipsed the length of the runway between high-octane performances from au courant pop stars. The musical lineup served as a definitive reminder of the brand’s undeniable cultural and financial might, featuring performances by Tate McRae, KATSEYE, Megan Moroney, and Megan Thee Stallion. And, of course, the evening was anchored by the triumphant return of the brand’s much-ballyhooed Fantasy Bra, a curve-hugging piece of signature lingerie heavily encrusted with diamonds, revealed on a VIP model to gasps from the audience.
Behind this massive corporate and creative pivot is Adam Selman, who has held the titles of executive vice president and chief creative officer at Victoria’s Secret for around a year and a half. Under his purview, the historic brand has had to execute a remarkably tricky tightrope walk: striving to be sexy without crossing into the prurient, playful without sliding into the cheesy, and undeniably desirable without ever feeling condescending to the modern consumer.
"I think that we’re sort of this idea of the American dream, and certainly the American fantasy," Selman says, reflecting on the historical weight and pop-culture gravity of the label. Under his leadership, the brand has sought to reclaim its place in the zeitgeist while acknowledging the realities of a changing world. "I think that along the brand’s journey, it’s done an amazing job of capturing that cultural relevancy," he continued. "And the show really did that. It cut through. It still does that today as being one of the biggest fashion shows in the world and something that millions and millions of people tune into."
Selman’s connection to the brand stretches back long before he took the helm of its creative direction. He vividly recalls his mother gently averting his eyes from Victoria’s Secret storefronts when he was growing up outside Waco, Texas, and later, tagging along with his female friends as teenagers when they would make pilgrimages to visit one of its bustling mall outposts. Before stepping into his current corporate role, Selman built an impressive career in the fashion and entertainment industries, previously working closely with the influential costume designer Zaldy and collaborating with global megastar Rihanna on her own pioneering lingerie line, Fenty.
When he was named executive vice president and chief creative officer last year, Selman knew he wanted to keep "the joy of the brand" front and center, while carefully maintaining a necessary sense of humor and self-awareness. "The brand has its own kitschy past and its own sense of humor—everything with a wink and a nod," he says. "And I love that."
It is no secret that Victoria’s Secret has long been a deeply divisive cultural touchstone. To some critics, it has historically represented a narrow and misogynistic ideal of femininity, while to others, it has simply been viewed as old-fashioned, glamorous fun. Selman’s approach has been to inject a sophisticated layer of camp on top of the proceedings, giving the brand’s classic boudoir-romp ethos a fresh layer of knowingness and modern irony.
"I don’t want to dress women up like dolls or in costumes," Selman emphasizes, charting a careful course for the future of the label’s design language. "I want it to be fun, and I want it to be serious at the same time, but always with the utmost respect for women."
This delicate balancing act defines the brand’s current strategy as it attempts to honor its storied heritage while appealing to a more inclusive, contemporary consumer base that demands authenticity alongside glamour.
"We don’t have to lose what the brand inherently stands for without being a modern, inclusive version of that," Selman added, summing up his creative philosophy for the iconic retailer. "The two can exist together."
Ahead of the big night in Los Angeles, photographers were granted exclusive behind-the-scenes access to capture the meticulous preparation, high-stress fittings, and frantic backstage energy that goes into mounting one of the biggest and most watched fashion productions in the world.