She walked out and the room just kind of shifted. It wasn't just the hair or the signature Bronx nonchalance. When we talk about the Ice Spice Victoria's Secret Fashion Show appearance, we aren't just talking about a musical performance or a celebrity cameo. We’re talking about a massive, high-stakes pivot for a brand that spent years struggling to figure out what "sexy" even looks like in 2024 and 2025.
Victoria's Secret was in a weird spot for a long time. They canceled the show in 2019 because the ratings were tanking and the cultural conversation had moved past them. They tried the "VS Collective" thing with activists and athletes, which was cool, but it lacked the glitter and the "event" feel that people actually tuned in for. Then came the 2024 return. They needed someone who felt current. Not just "famous," but someone who actually dictates how people dress and talk on TikTok. Enter Ice Spice.
The reality is, most people didn't expect her to fit the "Angel" aesthetic. And that was exactly the point.
The Bronx Goes to the Runway: Breaking Down the Performance
Let’s be real for a second. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show used to be very... rigid. It was all about the walk, the wings, and a very specific type of pop music. Seeing Ice Spice perform "Phat Butt" and "Think U The Shit (Fart)" on that stage was a total culture shock for the legacy VS audience. But for the Gen Z viewers the brand is desperate to keep? It was the only part of the show that felt like it belonged in the present day.
She didn't try to be a supermodel. That’s why it worked.
While the veteran models like Tyra Banks and Gigi Hadid were doing the classic "theatrics," Ice Spice brought this incredibly grounded, almost effortless energy. She wore a custom sheer lace bodysuit that played into the brand’s heritage but kept her own personal style intact. It didn't look like the brand put her in a costume; it looked like she showed up and told them what she was wearing.
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There’s this specific moment in the broadcast where you can see the younger models in the background genuinely vibing. It didn't feel choreographed or fake. It felt like a party. Honestly, that's what the show had been missing for over a decade. It used to feel like a high-pressure pageant. Ice Spice made it feel like a club in New York.
Why This Specific Partnership Mattered for the Rebrand
Victoria’s Secret had a diversity problem for years, but their bigger problem was a relevance problem. You can hire diverse models, but if the "vibe" is still stuck in 2012, nobody under the age of 25 is buying the bras.
The Ice Spice Victoria's Secret Fashion Show collaboration was a strategic move to tap into the "It Girl" economy. Ice Spice isn't just a rapper; she's a visual icon. Her orange hair, her Y2K-inspired fashion sense, and her "munch" subculture are marketing gold. By putting her center stage, VS effectively signaled that they are no longer just for the "mainstream" runway fans—they want the streetwear kids, the rap fans, and the people who live on social media.
- Authenticity over Polish: Ice Spice isn't known for being a polished, media-trained robot. She’s blunt. Her music is raw. VS leaning into that was a risk that paid off because it felt authentic.
- The "New" Sexy: The brand is trying to move away from the "male gaze" and toward "female confidence." Ice Spice embodies a version of confidence that is entirely self-referential. She isn't performing for the cameras as much as she is just enjoying herself.
- Cultural Currency: You can't buy the kind of engagement she brings. The clips of her performance outpaced almost every other segment of the show on Instagram Reels and TikTok.
Addressing the Critics: Was it "Too Much" for VS?
Of course, not everyone was happy. If you look at the comments on some of the legacy fashion forums, people were complaining. "This isn't the Victoria's Secret I remember," they’d say. Or, "The music doesn't fit the brand."
They’re right. It doesn't fit the old brand.
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But the old brand was dying. Sales were down. The store footprint was shrinking. The Ice Spice Victoria's Secret Fashion Show moment was a middle finger to the idea that the show has to be "classy" in a boring, traditional way. Fashion is supposed to be provocative. It’s supposed to be loud.
One of the biggest misconceptions about this performance was that it was just a "diversity hire" or a random celebrity booking. If you look at the trajectory of Ice Spice’s career—her partnerships with Alexander Wang, her presence at the Met Gala—she has been positioning herself as a fashion heavyweight for a while now. Victoria's Secret was actually the one catching up to her, not the other way around.
The Technical Side: Production and Sound
From a production standpoint, the 2024 show handled the musical guests differently than in the past. Usually, the singer is sort of an accessory to the models. This time, the staging for Ice Spice felt like a mini-concert. The lighting shifted to these moody, subterranean purples and pinks that matched her Y2K! album aesthetic.
It's also worth noting the sound engineering. In previous years, the live vocals at the VS show often sounded thin or were heavily drowned out by the backing track. The mix for Ice Spice’s set was surprisingly crisp. You could hear the grit in her voice, which added to that "live" feel that the brand was chasing. They didn't want a perfect, lip-synced performance; they wanted something that felt human.
What This Means for the Future of Fashion Shows
We are seeing the end of the "standard" runway show. Nobody wants to watch people walk in a straight line for 45 minutes anymore. The Ice Spice Victoria's Secret Fashion Show appearance proved that the future is "infotainment."
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It’s about creating moments that can be sliced into six-second clips.
Think about the most viral parts of the show. It wasn't just the wings. It was Ice Spice's interactions with the models. It was the way she moved. It was the specific way the lace on her outfit caught the light. Brands are now designing shows specifically for the "Discover" feed. If it doesn't look good on a phone screen, it didn't happen.
Impact on Sales and Brand Perception
Did it actually sell bras? That’s the million-dollar question. While we don't have the internal quarterly data for the exact week following the show, the sentiment shift is measurable.
According to various social listening tools, mentions of "Victoria's Secret" alongside keywords like "cool," "fresh," and "trending" spiked during the broadcast. For a brand that was previously associated with "outdated" and "problematic," that is a massive win. They are successfully shifting the narrative from "the brand my mom wore" to "the brand that Ice Spice wears."
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Trend
If you're looking to capture some of that same energy in your own style or content creation, there are a few things you can learn from this specific cultural moment:
- Embrace Personal Branding Over Trends: Ice Spice didn't change her look for Victoria's Secret. She made Victoria's Secret change their look for her. Whether you're a creator or just building a wardrobe, stick to your "signature" even when entering traditional spaces.
- The Power of Contrast: The reason this moment went viral was the contrast between a legacy "angel" brand and a "baddie" rapper from the Bronx. Look for ways to mix high-fashion elements with streetwear or "subculture" aesthetics.
- Short-Form Content is King: Notice how the show was edited. It was built for TikTok. If you are documenting fashion or events, focus on "micro-moments"—the 3-second interactions—rather than the whole story.
- Watch the "Vibe" Shifts: Keep an eye on who Victoria's Secret books next. The era of the "standard model" is over. We are now in the era of the "personality model." Follow the people who have a distinct voice, not just a distinct look.
The Ice Spice Victoria's Secret Fashion Show moment wasn't a fluke. It was a calculated, necessary, and ultimately successful attempt to bridge the gap between a 20th-century retail giant and a 21st-century audience. It showed that even the biggest brands can change their DNA if they’re willing to let someone else hold the mic for a minute.