The Victoria’s Secret Show Returns! A Look Inside the Feather-Strewn Runway Spectacle

“It’s a beautiful moment,” said a beaming Jill Kortleve backstage on the morning of the show. “It’s amazing to be here to celebrate all different body types.” It was a sentiment shared by Paloma, who said the brand’s efforts to speak to a broader audience are “absolutely authentic.” “This feels like an amazing moment of [celebrating] different women, who are in different stages of their lives, with different bodies,” she said.

“I never really watched the Victoria’s Secret runway shows,” said their fellow newcomer, Ashley Graham, a few make-up chairs over. “As we all know, it never really catered towards women that were my size. “Now it feels like a new Victoria’s Secret—it’s had a breath of fresh air. Back here, I’m seeing girls that look like me… and what’s even better, girls that look so different from me. That’s the beauty of the fashion industry today.”