Everything we know about the Victoria's Secret fashion show, from how to watch it to the performers?

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Stay up to date with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show officially makes its comeback on October 15th after a six-year hiatus with an iconic headliner: Cher.

Back in May, Victoria's Secret confirmed that its signature fashion show would be returning to the runway. “We have read the comments and listened to you. “The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is BACK and will reflect who we are today,” the company announced at the time. “Plus everything you know and love – glamour, runway, wings, musical entertainment and more! Stay tuned…it only gets more iconic from here on out.”

The last time the brand hosted the event in its usual televised form was in 2018. However, Victoria's Secret aired its most recent fashion show in the form of a documentary titled Victoria's Secret: The Tour '23 on Prime Video in September last year.

Here's everything we know about the 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, from who will walk the runway to how to watch the fashion spectacle.

Who is appearing on the show?

Victoria's Secret shared a video of Cher on Instagram on September 17, revealing that she will be performing live on the runway at the show. “It's a woman's world, so it goes without saying that there can't be a fashion show without the mother of fashion herself – @Cher! “We are so excited to announce that she will be making an official appearance,” the company wrote in the caption.

“(Cher) won't be alone…stay tuned for more announcements to complete our first-ever all-female lineup,” the caption ended.

A few more artists have since been announced, including singer-songwriter Tyla and rapper Lisa.

Which models walk the catwalk?

After announcing the fashion show's return after six years, Victoria's Secret has begun revealing which models will be appearing on the runway on October 15th. Models – said to be part of the show's cast – include Ashley Graham, Barbara Palvin, Gigi Hadid, Tyra Banks, Paloma Elsesser, Candice Swanepoel, Taylor Hill, Mayowa Nicholas, Imaan Hammam and Devyn Garcia.

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When does the event take place and how can I watch?

The 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show will take place on October 15 at the brand's flagship store in New York City. The company further described the event as a “night of glamour, music and of course fashion.”

This year you can watch the event live tomorrow at 7:00 pm ET. In addition to airing on Amazon Prime, Victoria's Secret will also stream the show live via its Instagram, YouTube and TikTok accounts.

If you're based in New York City, you have the opportunity to attend a watch party in the Penn District in Manhattan. The event will feature a live DJ for two hours starting at 5 p.m. before the show begins at 7 p.m., and a food truck offering some free treats.

How did the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show spark controversy?

Over the years, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has been known for transforming lingerie into works of art. However, the event was also viewed as controversial. In fact, the decision to pre-record and stream last year's show came after Victoria's Secret canceled its fashion show in 2019.

The cancellation of the fashion show was likely due to the decline in viewership. The 2018 Victoria's Secret fashion show only attracted 3.3 million viewers, compared to 9.7 million viewers in 2013.

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In November 2018, Ed Razek – the former chief marketing officer of L Brands, the former parent company of Victoria's Secret – made controversial comments about the lack of transgender models in the fashion show. In conversation with fashionRazek said he doesn't believe transgender models should be part of the show because “the show is a fantasy.”

“It’s a 42 entertainment special. This is it,” he said. “It is the only one of its kind in the world and any other fashion brand in the world would put up with it in a minute, including the competitors who insult us. And they insult us because we are the leader.”

Robyn Lawley, the first plus-size model to appear on the cover Sports Illustratedurged people to boycott the fashion show following his comments. She launched an online petition calling for more inclusivity at Victoria's Secret, arguing that the lingerie brand “has dominated the market for nearly 20 years by telling women that there is only one type of beautiful body.”

“Until Victoria's Secret commits to representing ALL women on stage, I am calling for a complete boycott of this year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show,” she wrote on social media. “It’s time for Victoria’s Secret to recognize the purchasing power and influence of women of ALL ages, shapes, sizes and ethnicities.”

There have also been numerous controversies surrounding certain themes and looks from past shows, some of which have been described as cultural appropriation. A Native American headdress caused outrage during the 2012 fashion show, while a Chinese-inspired theme called “Road Ahead” was deemed incredibly offensive in 2016.

Janie Schaffer, Victoria Secret's chief design and creative officer, and Sarah Sylvester, executive vice president of marketing, expressed how the brand has “really changed tremendously” over the past three years as they discussed what fans have learned from the This year's fashion show can be expected.

“This is truly a celebration of everything we have done. Believe me, we have such great fans out there that there is an element where people say, “You bring it back exactly the way it was before.” Bring back the exact same models and don't change anything! Schaffer said in a joint interview with Daily women's clothing in July.

The Independent has reached out to a Victoria's Secret representative for comment.