Ariana Grande gets hit in the face – and 4 other memorable moments at Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows
The annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which over the years featured the world’s top fashion models, including Heidi Klum, Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks wearing the lingerie and sleepware of American womenswear brand and sponsor Victoria’s Secret, has been cancelled this year.
The event, first held in 1995, had been staged at venues including New York, Los Angeles, Cannes, Paris, Shanghai, and London and became a televised event that attracted many millions of viewers around the world.
Typically the event featured leading supermodels and up-and-coming models on the catwalk – some of whom worked regularly with the brand and were known as Victoria’s Secret Angels.
Who can forget the sight of Klum sashaying down the runway wearing a pair of Victoria’s Secret Angel wings?
It is still unclear if and when the show will resume. But, for now check out five of the most memorable moments of past Victoria’s Secret Fashion Shows.
1. Debut of Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
The first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was held on August 1, 1995.
Legendary American supermodel Stephanie Seymour opened the event at the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Veronica Webb, Beverly Peele and Angelika Kallio were the first group of models to walk down the show’s runway. At the time, the designs presented on the runway were less revealing – and there were no wings in sight.
2. ‘The Heavenly Star Bra, worth US$12.5 million
In 2001, a bra worth US$12.5 million, known as “The Heavenly Star Bra”, made its debut on the runway worn by Klum at the event. It was studded with 1,200 Sri Lankan pink sapphires and a 90-carat emerald-cut diamond centrepiece.
3. Protest as Gisele Bundchen takes to runway
In 2002, a group of animal rights protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) rushed on stage during the show.
They brandished signs that read, “Gisele: Fur Scum”, in reference to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen’s contract with the fur brand Blackglama.
The protest led Bundchen to stop wearing fur and take part in efforts to help animals and the planet.
4: Angel wings first appear
The Victoria’s Secret Angel wings have become a symbol of the show. In 1997, Tyra Banks took to the runway in the first set of Angel wings.
Rumour abounds that only hand-picked Victoria Secret’s Angels are permitted to wear these wings. The size and prestige of putting on the wings is supposed to signify a certain level of success of the wearer.
5. Elsa Hosk’s wings not a ‘hit’ with Ariana Grande
Talk about an on-screen hiccup! In 2014, American singer Ariana Grande was performing at Victoria Secret’s Fashion Show when Swedish model Elsa Hosk, who was walking down the runway, got too close and her wings hit Grande in the face.
Not only was the moment captured by television cameras, but the scene went viral on social media and created a furore of memes inspired by her facial reaction.
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Annual show, which attracted millions of television viewers and featured models such as Heidi Klum dressed in lingerie and sleepware, has been cancelled this year