‘Icons’ is the buzzword for Fall 2023, and it’s a bit like the now worthless word ‘supermodel’. Call it grade inflation.

Having issued this real-world stipulation on AOC’s opinion, the new VS campaign is excellent and has some real VS icons. One current VS model is not in the center of every shot, which is refreshing to me personally. And bringing back past VS models is a terrific idea. Shop the new collection at the VS website.

If I read the VS copy carefully, I’m sure we are all icons somewhere in it, so let’s just cut the AOC analysis short here and say “good job, VS.”

All I know is that I want to be rockin’ like Martha Stewart at age 82. There is NOTHING wrong with aspirational women. They’ve existed for thousands of years.

People like to dream about transformation, when the psychological messaging is uplifting and inspiring, and not demeaning or suggesting any form of inadequacy or not measuring up.

The Icon by Victoria’s Secret Collection models includes VS greats Gisele Bündchen, Naomi Campbell, Adriana Lima, and Candice Swanepoel.

I know who drives page views because of the VS campaigns page reads we get on AOC. Let me say that Adriana Lima holds the VS crown on Anne of Carversville. She gave birth to a new son Cyan Lima Lemmers last fall and got 368,000 likes on this image below on her own page compared to 47,000 in the video on VS IG with Gisele.

The Icon cast campaigns expands to include Adut Akech, Emily Ratajkowski, Hailey Bieber, Paloma Elsesser and Sui He. I’m pleased to say that every woman listed here has archives on AOC.

The campaign is styled by Camilla Nickerson with images by top photographer Mikael Jansson [IG]./ Hair by Shay Ashual; makeup by Mark Carrasquillo

Oyadeas!

Oh dear Oyadeas. I tried . . . I tried . . . I tried so hard, but I just fell down the “we’re all icons” rabbit hole:

“We are so excited to be launching The Icon by Victoria’s Secret collection. The collection was made to enhance one’s natural shape while staying true to the supportive and seamless look that we love. It’s an exciting, elevated collection to add to your wardrobe, while reinforcing that we are all icons,” said Janie Schaffer, Chief Design Officer at Victoria’s Secret.

Let no one suggest that Anne Enke is not fundamentally, deeply in touch with the good, the bad and the ho hum de dum at Victoria’s Secret.

This campaign is an excellent step forward. I’m prepared to be positively blown away by the upcoming revival of the Victoria’s Secret fashion tour, because it’s do or die time for VS.

If they blow this fall season, they might as well just sell VS cheap to Kim Kardashian’s SKKY partners fund, and let the brilliant former Burberry CEO and Apple head of retail stores Angela Ahrendt — supported by Kim and Kris Jenner — figure out the future of the brand with existing VS talent, of course.

SKIMMS presently has 3x the market value of Victoria’s Secret. Ponder that financial factoid.

Let’s all send positive energy and light to Victoria’s Secret, as the fall 2023 season moves into high gear and we see the Victoria’s Secret show reborn.