Four Victoria’s Secret Angels — Josephine Skriver, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes and Romee Strijd — posed together on the red carpet to celebrate their most recent campaign.
But it had nothing to do with the lingerie giant that gave them their wings. This event was for the holiday collection from Boohoo, a down-market online fast-fashion retailer.
Industry insiders say it’s a sign that the celestial Angels might be falling to Earth.
“A year ago, there is no way that would have happened,” a modeling industry source said. “Victoria Secret Angels were so unattainable and wouldn’t have been aligned with a brand like [Boohoo].”
But this is hardly an ordinary year for the lingerie giant. For the first time since 1995, VS won’t be staging its annual fashion show — known as the Super Bowl of modeling. Televised since 2001, it’s been an international showcase for the elite group of contracted models known as the Angels.
Established in 1997, the flock has reliably been one of the most high-profile gigs in the fashion-modeling world. Gisele Bündchen, Karlie Kloss, Heidi Klum, Miranda Kerr, Tyra Banks and Stephanie Seymour have all been Angels.
But the halo’s slipped in recent years, entangled in a mire of declining lingerie sales, falling TV ratings, a seeming resistance to keep up with cultural trends and even an uncomfortably close connection to the late Jeffrey Epstein.
Normally at this time of year, the Angels would be toning and tanning in preparation for the big fashion show — which typically kicks off with a flurry of press about the women’s workouts, diets and jet-setting to the event.
But now — without the big show — is there anything left for these high-paid Angels to do?
“It used to be that you did VS and you became this superstar,” a Victoria’s Secret insider said. “The industry has just changed overall. I could see the Angels going away.”
The Gotham Reporter 