The conversation surrounding fashion shows like Victoria's Secret and their insistence on a certain type of beauty standard has been ongoing for years now. Even though a lot of brands have caught up to this criticism to a certain extent (usually smaller ones like Eckhaus Latta), the biggest brands are still unwilling to represent the underrepresented.
In an interview with Vogue, the chief marketing officer for Victoria's Secret's parent company, Ed Razek, responded to a question about the aforementioned way that "the market is shifting” to include a more diverse cast of models. He said, “if you’re asking if we’ve considered putting a transgender model in the show or looked at putting a plus-size model in the show, we have,” and, as to whether or not he'd actually do it: "no, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”
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The statement has drawn criticism from just about everywhere, including the marquee performer at the recent Victoria's Secret show: Halsey. Yesterday evening, Halsey posted on Instagram, saying that although “I have adored the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show since I was young...after I filmed the performance, some comments were made regarding the show that I simply cannot ignore.”