Entertainment

How the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has evolved over the last 20 years

Megan Willett-Wei
2015-12-09T16:14:00Z
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victoria's secret angels 2003
The Victoria's Secret Fashion show has evolved quite a lot over 20 years. AP

In 1995, a lingerie company called Victoria's Secret had its first fashion show at the Plaza Hotel in New York. Models wore slinky slips down the runway, accessorized with cardigans and handbags.

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Today, that same fashion show is a global phenomenon. 9.1 million people tuned in last year to watch the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on CBS, which will premiere on Tuesday night at 10 p.m. EST.

And the outfits of 2015 are a far cry from what they were 20 years ago. Brightly colored costumes and huge wings now grace the runway, making the beige satin bras of yesteryear look oddly quaint.

Keep scrolling to see how the show and its models have evolved since 1995.

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The first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show took place in 1995 at the Plaza Hotel in New York. The models wore slinky slips and shiny bras.

You can watch more of the 1995 runway show here

By 1996, the fashion show had better lighting, but was still focused on lingerie. Baby dolls were extremely popular.

victoria's secret 1996
Mark Cardwell/REUTERS
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The show had started to become a bigger deal by 1998. In addition to costumes, wings made their first appearance on the runway this year.

victoria's secret 1998
REUTERS

By 1999, the wings had become the show's focal point.

victoria's secret 1999
REUTERS
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The underwear was no longer the main focus, but just one element of the costumes.

victoria's secret fashion show 1999
AP

And models like Tyra Banks started to own the runway.

tyra banks victoria's secret 1999
AP
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In 2000, the show was held at the Cannes Film Festival as a part of the Cinema Against AIDS 2000 gala. It raised $3.5 million.

'Victoria's Secret' as part of the Cinema Against AIDS 2000 gala event to benefit amfAR
REUTERS

Source: The Dallas Morning News

In 2001, the show moved to Bryant Park in New York City. Model Molly Sims walked the runway with much larger angel wings — the trend had become iconic.

molly sims victoria's secret fashion show
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In 2002, the show moved to New York's Lexington Avenue Armory. Gisele Bundchen was harassed on stage by PETA for wearing fur. She seemed unperturbed.

gisele bundchen 2002 victoria's secret
AP

Source: The Telegraph

During these early years, the brand began to recognize a core group of models, including Heidi Klum, Tyra Banks, and Gisele Bundchen. Here they are in 2003.

victoria's secret angels 2003
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After a hiatus in 2004, the 2005 show debuted the biggest wings yet. Musician Seal serenaded the models, including then-wife Heidi Klum.

victoria's secret 2005 heidi klum and seal
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The costumes were also becoming more elaborate than ever before.

victoria's secret 2005
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The 2005 angels posed as a group, too. This was the final show for Tyra Banks who left to launch her television career.

models 2005 victoria's secret fashion show
AP

Source: Associated Press

The following year, Victoria's Secret's playful sub-brand PINK made its runway debut at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.

victoria's secret pink fashion show
AP

Source: Fashionista

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And the 2006 show couldn't pass by without even bigger wings. This show was Gisele Bundchen's final walk with Victoria's Secret.

2006 angel wings victoria's secret
AP

Source: New York Daily News

Heidi Klum "sleighed" the runway as a huge snowflake in 2007.

victoria's secret heidi klum 2007
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The 2008 show was at Fontainebleu Miami Beach in Florida. The outfits were even more dramatic and vampy.

2008 victoria's secret show
AP

Heidi Klum carried this giant bow down the runway in 2008.

heidi klum 2008 victoria's secret
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In 2009, the show was back at the Lexington Avenue Armory where it has remained ever since. The PINK models showed off their own brightly colored wings.

2008 Pink angel wings victoria's secret
AP

But they couldn't beat 2010's Victoria's Secret angel wings. Look at those peacock feathers!

2010 victoria's secret
AP
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In fact, all the props were bigger in 2010.

victoria's secret 2010 props
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The 2011 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was huge. Kanye West performed, there was a superhero theme, and the runway was filled with sparkles.

victoria's secret super woman theme 2011
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But 2012 surpassed 2011 with an even bigger stage and setup.

victoria's secret fashion show 2012
AP

There was also a new order of supermodels in 2012, including Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Candice Swanepoel, among others.

victoria's secret angels 2012
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The shows have only gotten bigger and better since then. 2013 was all about feathers.

2013 victoria's secret
AP

Not to mention Taylor Swift.

victoria's secret taylor swift karlie kloss 2013
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2014 had amazing stage designs that effortlessly changed throughout the show.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

In this 2014 shot, it doesn't even look like the same stage.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
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2014 also had the first dual fantasy bras. The fantasy bra concept dates back to 1996, but this was the first year two models got to wear them. Lima and Ambrosio's bras were valued at $2 million each.

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2014
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Source: The New York Post

Now, the 2015 show will feature new fashion "It" girls like Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner.

kendall jenner victoria's secret fashion show 2015
AP
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See you tonight!

victoria's secret fashion show 2015
AP

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