Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Struts on Despite Controversy

SHANGHAI, China — Gigi Hadid and Katy Perry did not make it however the Victoria’s Secret present in Shanghai managed to strut on Monday with out them, surviving an issue over visa points and a mannequin who slipped and fell throughout the present.

Fifty-five fashions walked the catwalk contained in the Mercedes-Benz Enviornment, serenaded by Harry Types, R&B star Miguel, Tony Award-winner Leslie Odom Jr. and Chinese language singer Jane Zhang. Types sang “Solely Angel” and later “Kiwi.”

Chinese language media reported that Hadid and Perry had been denied visas.

Bella Hadid, Gigi’s sister, appeared within the second act of the present, donning blue feather wings, a black high-neck, push-up bra and topped off with hand painted leather-based gloves.

In a present phase titled “Goddess,” Victoria’s Secret fashions donned large floor-sweeping silk wings with gold and silver sequined lingerie — and loads of bling.

Mannequin Lais Ribeiro was charged with the duty of carrying 300 carats down the catwalk whereas sporting the Champagne Nights Fantasy Bra studded with 6,000 gem stones.

Designed by Mouawad, organizers mentioned the bra valued at $2 million took practically 350 hours to create. It options diamonds, yellow sapphires and blue topaz.

The present ended with a tribute to undies designs primarily based on varied ethnic and native origins — with fashions donning rainbow coloured feathers and beaded jewellery.

Along with Hadid and Ribeiro, the fashions included Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Candice Swanepoel, Karlie Kloss, Lily Aldridge, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes, Taylor Hill and Martha Hunt.

Hadid and Perry had been scheduled to participate however bowed out simply days earlier than the present.

Hadid’s no-show got here a number of months after Chinese language web customers accused her of racist habits. She had been seen squinting her eyes on an Instagram video.

Observers mentioned Perry brought about some controversy in China in 2015 for sporting a sunflower-adorned costume whereas performing in Taiwan. The flower is an emblem of the island’s anti-China motion.

It isn’t unusual for entertainers to be denied visas by Chinese language authorities for political causes.

The World Occasions, an official newspaper of the ruling Chinese language Communist Get together, revealed a commentary on Monday titled “Victoria’s Secret fashions’ visa denial is of their very own making.”

The story named Hadid and Perry and mentioned celebrities who need a piece of the booming Chinese language market must respect what it mentioned had been Chinese language values.

“They’re lifting a stone solely to drop on their very own ft on account of their ignorance of those points. Payback was unavoidable. Those that are critical about creating careers within the Chinese language market can draw classes from this case and study to abide by the foundations in China,” the newspaper mentioned.

In the meantime, on-line movies of Chinese language mannequin Xi Meng Yao slipping and falling to her knees on the runway had been posted in native social media.