FASHION Magazine

See the Victoria’s Secret fashion show close-up photos »
See our 10 Victoria’s Secret fashion show insider moments »

Spellbinding spaces, colourful creations, famous front-row fixtures and a parade of beautiful peacocks—fashion shows are always a spectacle, but when it comes to the greatest show on earth, Victoria’s Secret is the hottest ticket in town. This year, the mega lingerie chain’s 17th show opened with a circus-themed act that included acrobats, stilt dancers and a sword swallower. The Angels, led by sexy ringleader Adriana Lima, donned velvet trapeze-artist corsets, balloon wings, tiger jackets and snake-charmer body pieces as they whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Despite the fact that this production took place in New York one week after Hurricane Sandy unleashed her wrath on the East Coast, and the same day as the first nor’easter storm of the season, the VS team managed to pull off their spectacular feats without any noticeable snafus. When there are 38 models—and 38 travel schedules—to coordinate; 80 stage hands on call; 28 sets of couture-worthy wings feverishly being finished; 2,154 guests to be seated; Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars and Rihanna performing; a prime time slot on CBS booked, with TV viewers from 185 countries; and millions of dollars on the line, it’s clear the show must go on.

Backstage, the energy is palpable as the Angels—I spy Doutzen, Candice, Alessandra, Behati and Miranda—are transformed into heavenly creatures by a glam squad (22 hairstylists, 18 makeup artists and seven manicurists) headed up by hair whiz Orlando Pita and makeup maestro Tom Pecheux. All of the one-name genetic wonders are clad in pink satin VS robes sprinkled with Swarovski crystals, and pink flip-flops. Veteran Angel Doutzen Kroes, a five-time VS walker, admits she still gets nervous, while newbie Cara Delevingne, a 20-year-old British ready-to-wear model and the star of Burberry’s fall campaign, hams it up during her interviews, making funny faces and dropping the occasional F-bomb, before stepping out onto the glittery VS runway for the first time. “It’s a completely different deal,” she says, referring to the difference between her regular modelling jobs and this extravaganza. “I’m not going to say no to a Victoria’s Secret show. They’re sexy women and I want to be one of them.” Judging by the outfit she is slated to wear in the “Pink Is Us” set—a striped latex roller-girl dress (“I’ll be lubed up to the max”)—I’d say mission accomplished.