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After weeks of mishaps, casting snafus, and one very annoyed Chinese government, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, filmed in Shanghai, is ready to air tonight on CBS as well as CBS All Access. Through all the drama that ensued, it was easy to forget that an actual show was taking place. One with models including Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima, Karlie Kloss, and Alessandra Ambrosio (her last before retirement), along with performances by Harry Styles, Miguel, and Leslie Odom Jr., all of whom clearly survived without the originally scheduled Katy Perry.
This year Victoria’s Secret teamed up with Brian Atwood, who designed all of the shows for the angels, as well as Balmain, which created one-of-a-kind pieces like studded leather jackets and bustiers for some of the looks.
“We work at least four months prior to showtime,” Atwood told Vanity Fair via e-mail about his design process. “Since everything is very intricate and detailed we like to have as much time as possible to develop and study what works best for the look and the show. We worked very closely with Olivier and the Balmain team on this show.”
Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing told British Vogue that he went with a punk theme while designing the garments, something a little outside his comfort zone.
“There are so many reference points for punk, from books to editorials in Vogue,” he said. “I regrouped a lot of ideas I had in my mind for Balmain, as I channel a lot of rock ‘n’ roll in the collections.”
And it wouldn’t be a Victoria’s Secret show without a little controversy. Despite having to apologize for a Native American headpiece worn by Karlie Kloss during its 2012 show, Victoria’s Secret this year opted to include a “Nomadic Adventure” segment that features another feather headdress. As Fashionista noted, the looks, worn by Taylor Hill and first-timer Nadine Leopold, among others, include some eyebrow-raising “tribal” motifs as well.
While Victoria’s Secret’s Shanghai adventure started with models dropping out due to visa problems and ended with an after-party that got shut down by the cops, it was still able to pull together the annual event. For those too intrigued to stay away, the show airs tonight at 10 p.m. on CBS and CBS All Access.
