Victoria’s Secret is guarded like a fortress. But a glimpse inside Manhattan’s Lexington Armory Wednesday morning offered a preview of the lingerie maker’s brightest night of the year. Several hours before the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, 30 models sat in four rows, each draped in pink robes and flanked with stylists tending to their hair and makeup. Under the spotlight at one end of the room was an arrangement of “100% human hair” extensions, each marked with a model’s name. The day began around 8 a.m. and will carry well into the night after two performances and an afterparty at recently-opened Midtown club.
One model, South Africa’s Candice Swanepoel, could only offer a few details about her three outfits. “They’re all very different,” she said as a stylist arranged clips in her hair. “One is sexy but another is very cute.” Swanepoel is returning for her fourth straight show and says she’s excited about recently becoming a spokesmodel for the brand. In August, she hosted the opening of Victoria’s Secret’s first Canadian store in Edmonton.
The night will also include fresh faces. Katsia Damankova, who has been with Ford Models since 2006, continues to study journalism at a university in St. Petersburg, Russia. Damankova joined Victoria’s Secret earlier this year and will appear in her first show tonight. On her debut night, she says she’ll keep her mind on “the beauty and the great people.”
Along with the statuesque performers, Victoria’s Secret has booked Katy Perry and Akon for tonight’s 8 pm show. Akon is appearing just two weeks before the expected release of his fourth album, Akonic. Tonight, look for a performance of the the album’s first single, fittingly called “Angel.”