Here's What Barbara Palvin Actually Thinks About Victoria's Secret
Barbara Palvin is easily one of the most unlucky Victoria's Secret models in history. The Hungarian-born beauty has worked most of her life to earn her pair of angel wings and not once but twice her chance to walk the runway and show them off has been taken from her. However, for very different reasons.
So much has changed about the lingerie line over the years and many fans on are absolutely furious with the company canceling most of their models in the spirit of creating a more forward-thinking take on the brand. The new faces of Victoria's Secret, including soccer player Megan Rapione, have even received a ton of awful hate posts on Instagram. And a lot of this has to do with the fact that iconic Victoria's Secret models basically have to look for new work or take a backseat to the new image that the company is trying to create. This includes Barbara Palvin, who has been a VS model in-training for years and finally earned her position on the team in 2019. So, how does she really feel about Victoria's Secret and all the changes they're experiencing?
Victoria's Secret Is Doing Everything To Stay Relevant And Barbara
While there may be some forward-thinking and inclusive reasons for the rebrand of Victoria's Secret there's no doubt that it's also for corporate reasons. This is because the company has been steadily declining since 2016. Not only were fewer people tuning into the beloved runway show as it veered away from the more scandalous elements, but their market share has been suffering. According to The Washington Post, more people were buying athletic gear than lingerie, and those who were gravitated to other brands, such as Rihanna's SavageXFenty.
Then, of course, the brand was implicated in the #MeToo Movement due to the unsavory business practices and a toxic work environment under the leadership of former employees. All of this meant that the Victoria's Secret Brand had to make some major changes. And, in 2019, that meant the full-on cancelation of the runway show... That very first runway show would feature Barbara Palvin as a full-blown Victoria's Secret angel.
"I was very disappointed," Barbara said in an interview with Harpers Bazaar. Of course, she was asked as she had recently earned her wings after years of being a more background player at VS runway events.
Still, Barbara attempted to keep a positive attitude about the big change, even though her fans have known she's been working for that moment for an extremely long time.
"[Victoria's Secret] know what they’re doing, and I trust the process. I feel like the world is changing around us, and everyone needs to go with it, and that’s their way of doing it. I don’t know what the future holds but I’m pretty sure there’s some very exciting stuff."
It's hard not to imagine Barbara being anything but disappointed by these changes or by her being lumped into the criticisms of the brand not being inclusive enough. Not long before the big changes, certain groups tried to paint her hiring as a lukewarm attempt to hire more curvy/'natural' looking models.
While Barbara can almost certainly agree that she doesn't have the body of someone VS's critics are thinking of, she certainly has been the victim of fat-shaming. Given how absurdly gorgeous and athletic this is, it's a tad surprising. Then again, the internet is a cold, cruel place.
The Second Cancelation
After the 2019 controversies, Barbara had to face continuous disappointment as the newest Victoria's Secret angel. This is because of the pandemic. Not only did the pandemic cancel any opportunity of a live runway show in 2020, but it also decimated the VS business.
According to The Washington Post, the business saw a 25% reduction of all retail locations. That means the closure of over 250 stores. This has minimized the power of the brand. And this power has contributed to a legacy that Barbara once wanted to be part of.
"I don’t know where to begin but I’ll try! I never thought it would happen and it has exceeded all my expectations. I’m very excited to announce that I’m officially a @victoriassecret ANGEL!" Barbara wrote on Instagram after earning her wings in 2019.
Even though Barbara is still modeling for various VS campaigns, she has branched out with other product endorsements in order to stay relevant and keep her career going. If Victoria's Secret ever reaches the same level of success again, here's hoping Barbara gets to live out her dream and walk the runway with her deeply sought-after wings.
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