Here’s a Sneak Peek at What the Victoria’s Secret Angels Will Be Wearing at the Show
Photo: Melissa Hom
The Victoria’s Secret fashion show is tomorrow night, and we swung by the brand’s Swarovski-strewn offices this week for a sneak peek at the over-the-top getups. It’s the largest show to date, featuring 69 looks and 31 wings. Nine-time show designer Todd Thomas promises “more glamour, more elegance, and more creativity” than ever before. The show is broken up into six segments: Super Angels, outfitted in latex corsets, thigh-high boots, and capes; Ballet, showcasing sexed-up Black Swan looks in feathers and tulle; Passion, an interpretation of Spanish flamenco garb; Angels Aquatic, an underwater, sea-siren theme; I Put a Spell on You, a sultry spin on turn-of-the-century New Orleans; and Club Pink, packed with neon and disco balls. From Broadway and Las Vegas costumers to bead and needlepoint masters, we talked to the artisans behind the show about their creations.
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “This is made from pheasant feathers, some up to six-feet-long. I also added coque feathers to ...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “This is made from pheasant feathers, some up to six-feet-long. I also added coque feathers to fill it out and give it a full bustle feel. When she’s in her shoes and her wings, Adriana [Lima] will be over nine feet tall. Some of the feathers had a natural curve, and some were shaped with steam. Each was hand-glued on. It took about a week to construct.” — Killer
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This piece is plated in 24-karat-gold and covered in Swarovski crystals. It will be worn ...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This piece is plated in 24-karat-gold and covered in Swarovski crystals. It will be worn by Alessandra Ambrosio. The tassels alone took about a week to complete." — Jenny Mercian
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “I constructed each of these jeweled panels individually — the entire piece took about five mon...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “I constructed each of these jeweled panels individually — the entire piece took about five months, including the corset, necklace, and earrings. The panels are plated in 24-karat-gold and copper, and covered with 100,000 individual Swarovski crystals. It weighs around 38 to 40 pounds.” — Jenny Mercian
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I hand-soldered tiny crystals to the metal to create the base, then layered the larger em...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I hand-soldered tiny crystals to the metal to create the base, then layered the larger embellishments on top." — Jenny Mercian
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "On the runway, there's no such thing as too much bling." — Jenny Mercian
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I used Spanish fans as inspiration for these wings, which are part of the Passion segment...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I used Spanish fans as inspiration for these wings, which are part of the Passion segment. It’s all hand-pleated tulle. I started with the larger fans and worked my way to the smaller sections. It took around a week to finish.” — Juliette Meurisse Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “The butterfly wings took one month to complete. The base is a metal structure and most of the ...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “The butterfly wings took one month to complete. The base is a metal structure and most of the feathers are — not so sexy — turkey feathers. I dyed all the yellow and black feathers to give them that color. The tendrils were created with ostrich feathers. I cut the fuzz except for these small curls.” — Juliette Meurisse
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “The base is wig lace and the beading was done by Bessie Nelson in New Jersey. The tendrils fly...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “The base is wig lace and the beading was done by Bessie Nelson in New Jersey. The tendrils flying off the back were created with silicon-based plastic, which stiffens when heated. The beading alone took two weeks, and the garment took ten days to piece together." — Jamie Filippelli
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “We used laminated cellophane and monofilament to create this veiny texture. The inspiration be...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “We used laminated cellophane and monofilament to create this veiny texture. The inspiration behind this set of wings was fish — they sent me all these images of beautiful goldfish and fighting fish to work from. This is fabric that has been dyed and heat-cut to look like sea anemone.” — Armando Farfan Jr.
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This is made from a metal base strung with jet stones that I found in a flea market in Fr...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This is made from a metal base strung with jet stones that I found in a flea market in France — each bead is hand-signed on the back by the person who made it.” — Juliette Meurisse Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This piece wraps around the neck in two sections. It’s made of sequins and plastic; every...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This piece wraps around the neck in two sections. It’s made of sequins and plastic; everything was applied by hand. The iridescent sequins will change color with the light." — Juliette Meurisse Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "The base is a straw fabric and the wings are covered in old handmade lace that I found in...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "The base is a straw fabric and the wings are covered in old handmade lace that I found in a flea market in France.” — Juliette Meurisse Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I started with the front panel and sculpted outward, piece by piece." — Juliette Meu...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I started with the front panel and sculpted outward, piece by piece." — Juliette Meurisse Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “There will be between six and eight leather pieces in the Passion section of the show, made by...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “There will be between six and eight leather pieces in the Passion section of the show, made by Barak Stribling studio; the company has worked for 25 years in Broadway and movies. We created this pink motorcycle jacket and Jeff Fender did the graffiti art.” — Jamie Filippelli Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "The inspiration for the Aquatic Angels section was that they're sirens at the bottom of t...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "The inspiration for the Aquatic Angels section was that they're sirens at the bottom of the ocean, with buried treasure draped and tangled around them. This was a collaboration between myself and Julliette. The basic spring steel structure is covered in cellophane, then embellished with three different kinds of rhinestones. Two are transparent, to sparkle when she moves. We used the highest end Swarovski crystals." — Armando Farfan Jr. Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “This was made of white coque and custom-dyed vulture feathers." — Killer
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I wanted to make the harness as small as possible to keep Doutzen’s body showing.” — Kill...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "I wanted to make the harness as small as possible to keep Doutzen’s body showing.” — Killer Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "Jeff Fender created this hand-painted parachute cape, to be worn by Adriana Lima." —...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "Jeff Fender created this hand-painted parachute cape, to be worn by Adriana Lima." — Todd Thomas
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This was a collaboration between myself and Jeff Fender. The front is all needlepoint, an...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "This was a collaboration between myself and Jeff Fender. The front is all needlepoint, and the flowers are all handmade from velvet, satin, and leather." — Killer
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “I used a special kind of horsehair on the bottom part to make it wavy, then covered it entirel...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “I used a special kind of horsehair on the bottom part to make it wavy, then covered it entirely with fabric, one layer after another. This one took three weeks.” — Juliette Meurisse
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Feathered hairpieces, spangled bras, and costume jewelry for the show, many created by Larry Vr...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Feathered hairpieces, spangled bras, and costume jewelry for the show, many created by Larry Vrba. Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show A rack devoted to the Super Angels segment of the show. Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show A coral crown for the Angels Aquatic section created by Larry Vrba.
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “This is a Super Angel wing that will be worn by Lindsay Ellingson. It’s a hand-carved foam cor...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show “This is a Super Angel wing that will be worn by Lindsay Ellingson. It’s a hand-carved foam core layered with vinyl, which was difficult to work with. These weigh around twelve pounds.” — Killer Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "We start with a dozen themes, then whittle them down to six. Some are rough sketches and ...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "We start with a dozen themes, then whittle them down to six. Some are rough sketches and some are incredibly detailed.” — Todd Thomas, Victoria's Secret designer Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "These rotating parasols are a conceptual twist on the iconic feather wings." — Todd ...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "These rotating parasols are a conceptual twist on the iconic feather wings." — Todd Thomas Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "These are two of my favorite looks. Joan Smalls will wear the look on the left. It's a la...
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show "These are two of my favorite looks. Joan Smalls will wear the look on the left. It's a latex corset by House of Harlot and a huge inflatable cape that is triggered with a ripcord. Erin Heatherton will wear these three-layer automated wings made from sculpted mylar. They traject down and then rise back up as she walks." — Todd Thomas Photo: unknown
Behind the Scenes: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show The look board for the 2011 show. Photo: unknown
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