Paris was cold, but the Grand Palais was absolutely sweltering. It was late November, and for the first time ever, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2016 touched down in the City of Light. Honestly, looking back at it now from the perspective of 2026, that night feels like the series finale of a show that didn't know it was about to be canceled. It had everything: the Hadid sisters making history, Lady Gaga out-singing the entire room, and a $3 million Fantasy Bra that sparkled so hard it practically blinded the front row.
But it wasn't just about the glitter.
The 2016 show was a tipping point. It was the peak of the "Instagram Girl" era, a moment where social media followers became more important than traditional runway walks. If you weren't there, or if you only saw the heavily edited CBS broadcast that aired weeks later, you missed the chaotic energy of a brand trying to maintain its grip on a culture that was already starting to look elsewhere for inspiration.
The Night the Grand Palais Turned Pink
The scale was massive. You have to understand that the Grand Palais is a glass-domed architectural beast. It’s where Chanel usually hosts its high-fashion dreams, and seeing it decked out in neon pink and glitter was... a choice. It worked, though. The production value was through the roof.
They flew 51 of the world's most famous models to France on a private jet branded "Victoria’s Secret Paris." It was a massive logistical nightmare that turned into a marketing masterclass. Total domination. That was the goal.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2016 featured six distinct segments: The Road Ahead, Mountain Romance, Pink Nation, Secret Angel, Dark Angel, and Bright Night Angel. Each one was designed to hit a different demographic, but they all shared that signature high-octane, slightly frantic energy that the show was known for.
Sister Act: Bella and Gigi Hadid
This was the year the Hadids truly took over. Gigi was returning for her second year, but it was Bella’s debut. Seeing two sisters on that stage at the same time felt like a seismic shift in the industry. It wasn't just about individual beauty anymore; it was about the "dynasty" and the digital footprint they brought with them.
One of the most talked-about moments—and you definitely saw this on your feed if you were on Instagram in 2016—was Bella Hadid walking past her ex-boyfriend, The Weeknd. He was performing "Starboy" right as she stepped out in a metallic grey corset. It was peak 2016 drama. The look they shared? Absolute gold. It was the kind of "unscripted" moment that the producers lived for.
Lady Gaga and the $3 Million Fantasy Bra
While The Weeknd and Bruno Mars brought the hits, Lady Gaga brought the soul. She didn't just walk and sing; she performed like her life depended on it. During the "Mountain Romance" segment, she wore a black floral gown and actually hit the runway like she was one of the models.
Then there was the "Million Dollar Mache" hat.
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Gaga wore a bespoke Gladys Tamez Millinery hat that featured 45,700 Swarovski crystals. It required its own security detail. It was ridiculous, expensive, and perfectly aligned with the evening's "more is more" philosophy.
But the real jewelry story was Jasmine Tookes. She was selected to wear the 2016 Bright Night Fantasy Bra. Designed by Eddie Borgo, it took over 700 hours to create. We’re talking 9,000 precious gemstones, including diamonds and emeralds, all set in 18-karat gold. Total weight? Over 450 carats.
Tookes was only the third woman of color to wear the Fantasy Bra in the brand's history, following Tyra Banks and Selita Ebanks. It was a significant moment for representation in a show that was increasingly being criticized for its lack of it.
The Breakdown of the Six Segments
Let’s get into the weeds of the themes because they were surprisingly diverse in terms of aesthetic.
The Road Ahead opened the show with a heavy focus on global multiculturalism. It was colorful, vibrant, and, in retrospect, sparked a fair amount of conversation regarding cultural appropriation—a recurring theme that would eventually haunt the brand's legacy. Elsa Hosk opened the show wearing a literal dragon wrapped around her body. It was a bold start.
Mountain Romance followed, featuring Lady Gaga and a lot of floral, "Tyrolean" inspired lingerie. This was arguably the most "feminine" part of the night, full of soft feathers and intricate embroidery.
Pink Nation was the segment for the younger crowd. It was loud, neon, and featured Bruno Mars performing "24K Magic." It felt like a giant slumber party that had been hijacked by a street dance crew.
Secret Angel took things back to a cinematic, film-noir vibe. This was the segment where The Weeknd performed and Bella Hadid had her viral moment. It was all about lace, trench coats, and dark allure.
Dark Angel was exactly what it sounds like. Lots of black wings, sheer fabric, and gothic undertones. Kendall Jenner wore a set of massive black plumes that looked like they belonged in a dark fantasy movie.
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Finally, Bright Night Angel closed the night. This was the glitter bomb. The Fantasy Bra, the Swarovski wings (worn by Josephine Skriver, featuring 450,000 crystals), and a general sense of "we spent the entire budget on this last 15 minutes."
The Turning Tide: What Went Wrong?
It’s easy to look at the photos and think everything was perfect. It wasn't.
Behind the scenes, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2016 was happening just as the "body positivity" movement was gaining serious steam. While VS was doubling down on "Angels" who adhered to a very specific, traditional beauty standard, brands like Aerie were already seeing success by ditching Photoshop and featuring a wider range of body types.
The 2016 show had 51 models. Zero of them were plus-size. Zero.
In 2016, that was still the "norm" for high fashion, but the cracks were showing. The ratings for the 2016 broadcast actually saw a significant dip compared to previous years. It pulled in about 6.7 million viewers, which sounds like a lot until you realize the 2011 show had over 10 million.
People were starting to get bored. The wings were getting bigger, but the concept was getting thinner.
The Impact on the Models' Careers
For many of the women on that stage, 2016 was a career-defining year. For others, it was the beginning of the end of their relationship with the brand.
- Adriana Lima: The undisputed queen of the runway. 2016 was her 16th show. She was the veteran who held the whole thing together. Her professionalism was a masterclass for the younger girls.
- Kendall Jenner: She was in her second year and still facing a lot of "nepotism baby" criticism. Her performance in 2016 was an attempt to prove she belonged, though critics were still divided on her runway walk.
- Irina Shayk: She made headlines for a different reason. She walked the runway while pregnant with her first child. The stylists cleverly used trenches and fringed jackets to cover her midsection, but the news leaked almost immediately after the taping.
Looking Back from 2026
When we think about the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2016 now, it feels like a time capsule. It represents the last gasp of the "Supermodel as Goddess" era before the industry shifted toward "Influencer as Entrepreneur."
The brand tried to reboot the show later, and we've seen the "World Tour" documentaries and the rebranding efforts, but nothing has ever quite captured the sheer, unadulterated excess of that night in Paris. It was the end of an empire, even if the people in the room didn't know it yet.
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The show cost an estimated $20 million to produce. That’s an insane amount of money for a one-night marketing event. Today, that budget would be split across thousands of micro-influencers and targeted TikTok ads. The era of the "Mega Event" is largely over, replaced by the "Constant Stream."
What You Can Learn from the 2016 Era
If you’re a creator or a brand builder, there are real takeaways here.
First, tradition is a trap. Victoria’s Secret leaned so hard into their "Angel" mythology that they couldn't see the world changing around them. They were too successful to pivot, which is a dangerous place to be.
Second, experience matters. Say what you want about the brand, but they knew how to build an atmosphere. The music, the lighting, the location—it was an immersive world. Even today, few brands can create that kind of "event" feeling.
Finally, listen to the subculture. In 2016, the subculture was screaming for inclusivity. The brand ignored it, and within three years, the show was canceled entirely.
To really understand the impact of the 2016 show, you should look up the original performance of "Million Reasons" by Lady Gaga from that night. Forget the lingerie for a second. Watch the models' faces as they walk past her. You can see the genuine emotion—a rare moment of humanity in a show that was usually polished to a plastic sheen. That’s what’s missing from modern fashion: the soul.
If you're looking to dive deeper into how the industry changed after this specific year, check out the documentary Victoria's Secret: Angels and Demons. It fills in the gaps that the 2016 glitter tried to hide. You should also compare the 2016 lineup to the brand's current "VS Collective" to see just how much the definition of "aspiration" has shifted in a decade.
The 2016 show wasn't just a fashion event; it was the closing ceremony of a specific type of American glamour. We won't see its like again, and maybe that's for the best—but we can still appreciate the spectacle for what it was.
Actionable Insights:
- Study the 2016 Marketing Mix: Analyze how Victoria’s Secret used the "Paris Trip" as a week-long content engine rather than a single-day event.
- Audit Your Brand for Inclusivity: The 2016 failure proves that if you don't evolve with your audience's values, you will eventually lose them, regardless of your budget.
- Prioritize Live Performance: Notice how the live musical acts (Gaga, Mars, The Weeknd) created more viral moments than the clothing itself. Content creators should look for ways to integrate multi-sensory experiences into their work.
- Recognize the Tipping Point: Identify the "peak" moments in your own industry. Often, the moment of greatest excess is actually the beginning of the decline.