Is anyone else feeling a little light-headed? Because I swear, Gigi Hadid just snatched my heart and flew away with those MASSIVE, GORGEOUS wings!
It’s been half a dozen years since Victoria’s Secret decided to put their runway show on ice. But oh, how the tables have turned—or should I say, how the catwalks have glittered anew into a new era of woman empowerment and inclusivity. On Oct. 15, the curtain rose, and the opening act was none other than Lisa of Blackpink fame. As the South Korean pop-idol struck her final pose, I was slain by her undeniable charisma. But that was just the beginning.
While Lisa may have started the show, it was Gigi who took my breath away and ended me –I’m a sucker for a good fashion fatality.
There she goes, strutting down the runway in that pink lace lingerie bodysuit. The ensemble was finished off with oversized diamond hoop earrings, gladiator-style heels, and a pair of ethereal wings that could give an actual angel a run for its money (or wings)!
As Gigi glided down the runway, a verse from INXS’s “Never Tear Us Apart” played, with the lyric “We all have wings but some of us don’t know why.” Well, Gigi certainly knows how to use hers. Am I going overboard with my fangirling? Hold on, because this next revelation may just make you pledge allegiance to the Gigi fan club too.
Onstage, Gigi paid homage to T-Swift’s iconic wave from her Eras Tour playbook —arms launched skyward, hand reaching for the heavens, wrist angled just so. The move is rivaled only by Tay’s penchant for a good heart-hands moment and the occasional archer pose, a nod to her NFL beau Travis Kelce’s touchdown celebrations. Gigi herself revealed that Taylor helped her prep for her grand return to the Victoria’s Secret runway. Icons uplifting icons, we stan!
After her initial strut, Gigi blew a kiss and waved to the adoring crowd before disappearing backstage. But the night wasn’t over yet! She emerged later in a red sheer bodysuit, this time, sharing the spotlight with her younger sis Bella Hadid, who also gifted fans a tantalizing peek at her red outfit.
The super Hadids have conquered countless runways over the years, from Versace to Jacquemus, and seeing them back in their angel wings felt like a homecoming. VS once celebrated the female form in all its diversity–mostly tall, thin, cisgender models– but the brand started to feel a little… well, outdated. Victoria’s Secret’s then-Chief Marketing Officer, Ed Razek, once said that the show was a “fantasy” and that he didn’t think the brand should include transgender models.
The brand was also grappling with declining sales and the looming specter of scandal. In 2020, New York Times published an exposé detailing a toxic, misogynistic corporate culture at VS, including allegations of sexual harassment and ties to the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Fast forward to today, and the revamped Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show seems a bit more inclusive. With its splash, the Hadids have reclaimed their rightful place on the throne.