Just in time for the holiday buying season, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show airs tonight, an hour during which millions of men will drool and as many women will watch in adulation, wishing they looked more like supermodels Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks and Gisele Bündchen.
It’s a brilliant concept: An hour-long commercial disguised as a show that is aimed at getting people to buy over-
priced bras and panties.
Unlike other fashion shows, where designers show off their latest line, this show is less about the “clothing” and more about helping one company in its attempt to dominate national underwear sales.
The sexy models who will strut on the catwalk – in over-the-top angel’s wings, bejeweled bras and frilly panties – serve to drill into the minds of consumers that Victoria’s Secret underwear is synonymous with sexy.
Some of it is: lacy bras, cotton boy shorts, cute tank tops. Women go in, spend less than $40 and come out with something that makes them feel sultry.
But the store’s array of spongy padded bras with removable “cookies” (even more padding) is far from sexy. It creates a fake and tawdry look; but, like anything else in America, if you push it enough, people will buy it.
Pushing is key.
If you’ve ever shopped there, you may be familiar with the hyper-friendly saleswomen who ask at almost every step: “How are you? What can I help you find today?”
If you say you’re just browsing, be prepared to repeat yourself several times to every saleswoman in every section: pajamas, everyday underwear, special lingerie, cosmetics, fragrances. They will ask.
Then there are their constant interruptions of rehearsed lines: “We’re having a thong sale today! Five thongs for $25.”
“Have you tried our new Angels IPEX bra? I love it. In fact, I’m wearing one now!”
“Would you like a free bra consultation?”
If you buy something, be prepared for the pitch to get an “Angel Card,” which will give you a 10 percent discount on that purchase in exchange for credit with an APR of 22.8 percent.
The word “angel” conjures images of innocence and integrity.
Is it too literal to ask: Why call it an Angel bra when its purpose is to deceive? How can it be an Angel Card when the interest rate is akin to robbery?
No doubt, after the taped show airs tonight at 9 on Channel 4, there will be a mad rush to buy all things Victoria’s Secret.
Just as shoppers did in 2003 when the last Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was aired, people will write to the Federal Communications Commission, demanding that it ban such shows because they’re overly sexual. At least nine network affiliates have decided not to air the show, according to an Associated Press report.
I don’t mind the show, but I am concerned about the impression it makes on young women, especially girls growing up in a society that pushes sexuality and unrealistic images of beauty on them.
One has to wonder if the before-and-after photos of some of these supermodels on goodplasticsurgery.com have been retouched, or if the models themselves have been.
Even if they’ve never gone under the knife, those who idealize these models need to realize they are gorgeous freaks of nature. Consider that Gisele Bündchen, who is 5-feet-11, reports that she weighs 125 pounds and has a 23-inch waist and 33½- inch hips. Even if she eats three meals a day and just has a fast metabolism, she is still at least 11 pounds underweight according to most health guidelines.
Go ahead and watch the show tonight, but if the subliminal advertising works and you find yourself walking into one of Victoria’s Secret’s ubiquitous stores in the coming weeks, don’t be surprised by the plethora of cheap bras and anxious sales clerks.
Cindy Rodríguez’s column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays in Scene. Contact her at 303-820-1211 or crodriguez@denverpost.com.
