While we are waiting for the great Victoria’s Secret Show, here are pictures from every show from the past 18 years. Victoria Secret was founded by Roy Raymond and his wife Gaye, in San Francisco, California on June 12, 1977. Eight years before founding Victoria’s Secret, Raymond has been embarrassed when purchasing lingerie for his wife at a department store. Looking back at the even Raymond declared: “When i tried to buy lingerie for my wife I was faced with racks of terry-cloth robes and ugly floral-print nylon nightgowns, and I always had the feeling the department store saleswomen thought I was an unwelcome intruder.”
Raymond studied the lingerie market for eight years before borrowing $40,000 from his parents and $40,000 from a bank to establish Victoria’s Secret: a store men could feel comfortable buying lingerie.The company’s first store was located in Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California.
Raymond’s philosophy of focusing on selling lingerie to male customers became increasingly unprofitable and Victoria’s Secret headed for bankruptcy.In 1982 it had grown to six stores, a 42-page catalogue, and was grossing $6 million annually. Raymond sold Victoria’s Secret Inc. to Leslie Wexner, creator of Limited Stores Incof Columbus, Ohio, for $4 million.
In 1983 Leslie Wexner revamped Victoria’s Secret. He discarded the money-losing model of selling lingerie to male customers and replaced it with one that focused on women. Victoria’s Secret transformed from “more burlesque than Main Street” to a mainstay that sold broadly accepted underwear. And that is how everything started.
Feast your eyes on the wonder that is Victoria’s Secret.

Veronica Webb takes to the catwalk for the first annual Victoria’s show on August 1, 1995, at The Plaza Hotel in New York.

Tyra Banks getting fitted for the Victoria’s Secret fashion show at the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel in 1996.

Naomi Campbell getting ready backstage at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show, at the Plaza Hotel in New York, in 1996.

Tom Jones poses with models Karen Mulder, Tyra Banks, Eva Herzigova and Stephanie Seymour at the after party following the 1997 Victoria’s Secret show.

Tyra Banks takes to the catwalk for the 2000 show, held during the amFAR benefit party in Cannes in May.

Adriana Lima – who is still an Angel today – takes to the catwalk for the second year, in 2000, aged just 19.
Related articles
- Taylor Swift Performing At The 2013 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (hollywoodlife.com)
- Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show-Behind The Curtain (astairwaytofashion.com)
Interesting storyline and cool pics!
Destiny’s child performed in 2002.
You are right! Thank you for seeing that! : )
no problem.. I researched it right away because I wanna see beyonce perform while tyra closes the show 😉
but interesting article 😉
Pingback: Victoria’s Secret: From 1995 To 2013 (part 2) | A Stairway To Fashion
Excellent (and sexy) photos 🙂
It is amazing the mark on history these model’s faces (and bodies) made. Each so recognizable. One of my favorite models is not included in any of these pics; same time period as Gisele, etc. can’t recall her name, but tall, long blonde hair, wholesome, with freckles on her nose!
Reblogged this on Glitter Fantasy… and commented:
Wow! Amazing how.times change!
Doesn’t Veronica Webb look like Rihanna in the photo from the 1995 VS show, 5th pic down? Great compilation!
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Great post! Love seeing all the old pics!