Trigger Warning: Extreme dieting and unsafe dieting practices
Source: Popsugar
The Victoria’s Secret annual fashion parade aired recently, December 8 on channel 9.
With alumni models including Giselle Bundchen, Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks and Miranda Kerr having graced the stage in the biggest fashion show of the year, it’s humbling when we see these beauties munching into a slice of cheese pizza, mini desserts or a can of soda pre-show. In reality, as the show continues to gain popularity (8 million viewers tune in each year to watch the coverage), more details emerge on the intense and persistent dieting that is carried out in the weeks prior to the show.
Longstanding VS veteran Adriana Lima has walked her 17th VS fashion show, and was quoted in The Telegraph back in 2011 on her nine day diet preparation prior to the show. This included water loading followed by restriction of liquids 24 hours prior to the show, as well as a non-solid diet of protein shakes and liquid eggs.
Her colleague Alessandra Ambrosio is also a longstanding VS angel, whom in 2008, returned to the fashion show just three months after giving birth to her daughter through the process of extreme dieting. She spoke of this to The Edit, describing her diet and fitness experience as a nightmare.
“I couldn’t do that again” Ambrosio noted.
Now, as these two pros head towards the tail end of their VS careers, newcomers are entering the show younger than ever. One of the show’s latest models and popular “it” girl Bella Hadid (19) has earnt her first spot in this year’s show alongside sister Gigi (21) and friend Kendall Jenner (21). In the months prepping up to the show, Hadid has taken on a stricter food and exercise regime that has caused her to be the centre of body image controversy. Speaking publicly about the change, she claims that her weight loss has been unintentional as a result of diet and training.
“I really didn’t mean to [lose weight]. Like, I want boobs. I want my ass back”.
“My weight fluctuates and so does everybody’s and I think that if people are going to judge, that’s the worst you can possibly do because everybody is different.”
Her recent weight loss has many fans questioning her other campaigns, with many criticising that she is a poor example to be the latest face of sportswear giant Nike due to her lack of athleticism.
Source: Left image; Right image
Former VS alumni Erin Heatherton spoke out earlier this year about the body image struggles she experienced during her peak of being an angel. “My last two Victoria’s Secret shows, I was told I had to lose weight,” she says. “I look back like, Really?”. She had been training twice a day whilst preparing for her final show. “I was really depressed because I was working so hard and I felt like my body was resisting me,” she says. “And I got to a point where one night I got home from a workout and I remember staring at my food and thinking maybe I should just not eat.”
Following the show, Erin ended her contract with Victoria’s Secret after feeling that nothing would ever be enough to continue her career as an Angel. “I realized I couldn’t go out into the world—parading my body and myself in front of all these women who look up to me—and tell them that this is easy and simple and everyone can do this.”
Whilst height, a good strand of DNA and a high profile modelling career will get you a casting audition, demands from the company require models to maintain their measurements all year round. This puts added pressure on the models to achieve what is considered the highest honour in the modelling world.
The question is, does living the life of a VS angel sound as glitzy as the annual diamond encrusted Fantasy Bra?
