THEY were consigned to the dustbin of history – but now the Victoria’s Secret angels are back, and they’re wearing rubbish.
The lingerie brand axed its scantily clad models in 2019 when they decided to pursue a new PC direction.
But some of the angels have now reunited and been dressed by More Or Less magazine in eco-friendly clothes made from waste.
The mag’s founder, Jaime Perlman, said: “It’s like they’re making their comeback but in a recycled sort of way.”
It’s the first time the likes of Candice Swanepoel Alessandra Ambrosio, Elsa Hosk, Stella Maxwell, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt and Leomie Anderson have been pictured together since Victoria’s Secret decided the girls were no longer a suitable fit for the brand’s “inclusive” new look.
The underwear giant made a mint with its famously Sєxy shows thanks to a heady mix of leggy models, rock star musicians and pop culture moments.
In 2000, Gisele Bundchen set a record for strutting in the world’s most expensive diamond- encrusted bra — worth a whopping £13.9million.
The cultural phenomenon saw megastar musicians Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran and Kanye West perform at the catwalk events held in New York.
The shows began in 1995 — and at their peak in 2015, they were watched by a TV audience of 500million.
But by 2019, the brand had decided to embrace the world of woke.
Gone were the days of models Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima and even Kendall Jenner donning wings while posing in the brand’s skimpy lingerie.
By then the US company had suffered a string of major setbacks — including accusations of Sєxism and cultural appropriation.
Chief marketing officer Ed Razek — who was said to hand-pick models for the shows — was hit by a wave of criticism in 2018 for making a slur against transgender people.
He said: “Shouldn’t you have transSєxuals in the show? No.
” No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy.”
But the crunch moment for the firm’s parent company, L Brands, came after its group CEO Les Wexner was linked to Sєx trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who was his financial manager from the 1980s until 2007.
Victoria’s Secret hit back by going in a new direction.
‘EVERYONE FEELS RESPECTED’
Last year it unveiled a marketing campaign featuring gay US soccer star Megan Rapinoe in starkly plain, neutral underwear.
Rapinoe said: “I don’t have to wear the traditional Sєxy thing to be Sєxy, and I don’t think the traditional thing is Sєxy when it comes to my partner or people I’ve dated.”
Plus-sized US model Paloma Elsesser also featured in the new ads and campaigned for the brand to extend its range from XXL to XXXXXL.
New CEO Amy Hauk said last month: “I can wholeheartedly say that we are all committed to building a community where everyone feels seen and respected.
“And if we mess up or can do better, we want to know.”
But the right-on tack has not had the desired effect on profits — with company revenues on a downwards slope since January.
At least the old Angels look a million dollars — even in their unorthodox outfits.
It just goes to show that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
