While Simon enjoyed a brief respite at his Fifth Avenue apartment after a day of running around, the atmosphere at the Lexington Avenue Armory was heating up.
It was nearing 7:00 PM.
The show hall was already packed with spectators, who, accompanied by the rhythmic pre-show music, began to gaze expectantly towards the backstage, awaiting the arrival of the angels.
Backstage was busy but orderly. The angels of the first major theme, "Wild Call," were already positioned under the guidance of the staff. Stephanie Seymour stood at the forefront, wearing a cape and a feathered crown, with a few streaks of oil paint perfectly applied to her delicate face, exuding a queenly aura. Six staff members surrounded her, meticulously checking and adjusting the final details of her outfit and hairstyle to ensure perfection.
Chrissy Gough was positioned second.
Unlike Stephanie Seymour's regal demeanor, the doll-faced model sported darker eye shadow, and her short, neat hair complemented her warrior-like outfit, complete with a short blade strapped to her arm as a decoration, giving her the appearance of a sexy yet dangerous jungle assassin.
Gough had only Grace's assistant, Michelle Sonam, and another official Victoria's Secret stylist by her side.
The difference in treatment was obvious.
However, Chrissy Gough knew that out of the six people around Stephanie Seymour, only two were official staff members, while the other four were hired by Seymour herself. Gough couldn't help but feel a tinge of envy, mixed with the realization that the woman, who already didn't have the best reputation, might be going a bit overboard.
As a three-minute countdown reminder echoed in her ear, Chrissy Gough tried her best to ignore the "big setup" around Seymour, focusing instead on preparing herself emotionally for the stage. Suddenly, she heard Michelle scream beside her. Turning her head, she saw a short man in a staff uniform, who had appeared out of nowhere, bumping into Michelle. The man was holding a cup of coffee, which had now spilled all over Michelle's clothes.
Chrissy Gough hadn't yet processed what had happened when the stylist, who had been adjusting the strap on her leg, quickly stood up, glanced at the situation, and then positioned herself between Gough and the small man, sternly questioning, "Who are you? Don't move! David, David!"
After a brief commotion, the short man who had appeared out of nowhere was forcibly dragged away by two burly security guards.
Chrissy Gough wasn't naive; she quickly understood the situation.
A wave of fear surged from her feet to her head.
With less than three minutes to go before the show started, if that cup of coffee had spilled on her instead... she shuddered at the thought of what could have happened next.
In that moment, she suddenly began to understand why Stephanie Seymour had hired so many assistants to stand guard around her.
What kind of people are these!
Grace Spurt, who had been in the back comforting Daniela Pestova, who was also nervous about participating in the first theme, noticed the commotion and quickly walked over. She glanced at Michelle, whose clothes were now stained with coffee, and sharply scanned the area. Seeing the innocent looks on the faces of the nearby models, she realized that now was not the time to pursue the matter. It might not be easy to do so later either. She could only comfort the pale-faced Chrissy Gough, saying, "Chrissy, take a deep breath. Don't be nervous. Breathe."
The first theme required the angels to be cold and arrogant. The emotional state Chrissy Gough had carefully prepared was now completely dissipated due to the earlier scare. Though the coffee hadn't spilled on her, her momentum was gone, leaving her like a pitiful kitten caught in the rain. Obediently following Grace's instructions to take deep breaths, the girl couldn't help but whisper, "Grace, I'm a little scared."
"Don't be afraid, sweetheart. You're the best. Think about why someone would do this. They're jealous of you. Are you going to let them succeed?"
"No, I won't."
"Good," Grace said, pulling a small piece of chocolate from her bag and slipping it into the girl's mouth. "Now, imagine that after tonight, they'll only be more jealous of you. You're just 18, and you're already a Victoria's Secret Angel. You get to star in Simon Westeros' movie, and you'll steal even more endorsements from them. What can they do besides be jealous? They can't do anything. All they can do is envy you."
The taste of chocolate, mixed with milk, spread through her mouth. Having been on a strict diet for over three months, Chrissy Gough's taste buds greedily savored this delightful sensation. Her amber eyes began to shine again with renewed brightness at Grace's words.
However, she suddenly seemed to forget many things.
The first theme, what kind of steps should she use? How should she match her rhythm? Where should she pause...
Oh my God!
Grace noticed the confusion in Chrissy's eyes after they regained their sparkle and realized what was wrong. She reassured her, "Sweetheart, remember how many times you practiced for this show?"
Chrissy Gough shook her head.
Grace said, "I don't remember either, but it's definitely been hundreds of times. You know, people usually form habits after doing something dozens of times. You've practiced hundreds of times, and each one was perfect. So, what are you worried about? Now, don't think about anything. Just breathe deeply and follow your instincts. Remember, you can do this."
"Yes, I can do this."
"Okay, do you want another piece of chocolate?"
Chrissy Gough immediately looked at her with a hopeful expression. "Yes."
"Save it for later. I'll reward you with two pieces after the show."
Chrissy Gough pouted with a mock accusatory look, but a smile tugged at her lips as her body gradually relaxed. She began to bargain, "Then I want three pieces."
"Do you want to turn into a little raccoon?"
"Raccoons are cute."
"Actually, I was going to say pig."
After being under Grace's strict management and training for months, Chrissy Gough had developed a sort of dependency on her agent. She wasn't upset by Grace's teasing; instead, she wanted to lean in for a hug like a child, but Grace stopped her, warning that it would mess up her outfit.
As they chatted, the voice loudly reminded them again, "30 seconds to go."
The waiting music in the hall had already stopped.
The instructions were coming fast and furious through the staff members' earpieces. Soon, the intense opening chords began to play. It was *The Phoenix*.
The Phoenix.
Giving Chrissy Gough one last encouraging look, Grace stepped back. Michelle, still in her coffee-stained clothes, remained by Gough's side, clearly on high alert.
"Put on your war paint!"
The lyrics began.
The unified voice came through the earpiece again, "Three... two... one, GO!"
Stephanie Seymour made her entrance.
In the hall, as the powerful and passionate song played, all eyes turned to the stage.
The jungle queen.
With forceful, hammer-like strides.
Arrogant, cold, wild.
Whatever controversies may have surrounded her in private, at this moment, Stephanie Seymour was the object of every spectator's admiration, regardless of gender.
No reminder was needed; thunderous applause erupted as Stephanie Seymour appeared on stage.
Peter Brant, a Manhattan billionaire who had secured a front-row seat on the left side of the stands due to personal connections, gazed at his fiancée on stage. As he sensed the intense emotions from many of the men around him, he suddenly felt a strong urge to marry this woman as soon as possible.
Such a woman, who could only enhance a man's stature, seemed worth conceding a bit on the prenuptial agreement.
Moreover, she was already the mother of his child.
Stephanie Seymour reached the end of the catwalk, paused, turned, and elegantly flicked her cape, triggering another round of cheers.
As she began to walk back, the audience's attention shifted to the second model, Chrissy Gough.
The intense atmosphere around her left Chrissy Gough's mind completely blank.
However, the hundreds of practice sessions had indeed become second nature to her. With her lighter, more graceful steps, distinct from Stephanie Seymour's, she confidently followed the rhythm. Her dark Gothic outfit also captured the attention of the crowd, earning her a round of applause.
In those few short seconds of her debut, she was flawless.
Returning backstage, Chrissy Gough nearly collapsed to the floor from exhaustion, if not for Grace's quick support.
In the previous two Victoria's Secret shows, Chrissy Gough, still a newcomer, had watched the Victoria's Secret Angels on the screen, rolling their eyes and crossing themselves repeatedly, looking as if they had just won a battle. At that time, mixed with unavoidable jealousy and envy, she had only thought they were putting on airs.
It's just a runway show, how could anyone be that nervous, let alone so excited?
Now, being in the thick of it herself, feeling the electrifying atmosphere and the gaze of thousands from the audience and behind the scenes, she couldn't help but think about the consequences of making a mistake. The pressure mounted rapidly in her heart. The twenty-meter runway, back and forth, felt like she had sprinted two kilometers at full speed.
Now she understood.
Those reactions were not pretentious at all.
They were all genuine.
And she was even more overwhelmed.
The only consolation was that she only needed to walk three out of the six themes tonight. Although there was no rest before she was dragged off to change into the outfit for the third theme, at least there was a slight buffer.
Arriving in the dressing room, she was
quickly stripped of all her clothes by the wardrobe assistants. Feeling no shyness, she turned to Grace, who had followed her into the dressing room, and asked expectantly, "Grace, how did I do?"
The backstage also had display screens.
Grace slipped another piece of chocolate into the girl's mouth and smiled, "You were amazing. I told you, you could do it."
Chrissy Gough smiled too.
As she savored the small piece of chocolate in her mouth, she suddenly pretended to be dissatisfied. "Grace, why do I feel like I'm a little seal at the aquarium, being fed after a performance?"
Grace playfully shook the other piece of chocolate in her hand. "Do you want more?"
Chrissy Gough immediately lost all her resolve to argue. "Yes."
Grace gently tapped the girl's forehead but didn't give her the chocolate. "I'm going to check on Eva's preparations. Be good." With that, she gave a quick instruction to Michelle, who still hadn't had time to change out of her coffee-stained clothes, and hurried out of the dressing room.
As the brief exchange between Chrissy Gough and her agent ended, the first theme, which lasted four minutes, concluded successfully.
In the stands of the show hall, Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of *VOGUE*, who also had a prime spot in the front row, carefully reflected on all the details of the first theme. Her mind quickly began sketching out an article.
Since the inception of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, conservative critics have always denounced it, calling it immoral, vulgar, and objectifying to women. However, professionals in the fashion industry could recognize the meticulous attention to detail in every aspect of the show. From just the first theme, Anna Wintour could already predict that the fashion world would draw inspiration from it for the next year.
And that's without even mentioning the background music, *The Phoenix*, personally composed by Simon Westeros.
According to the latest statistics, the first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show had sold an astonishing 27 million copies of its videotapes. Aside from the collection of absolutely flawless bodies, many viewers bought it for the five background songs personally composed by Simon Westeros, which topped various music charts.
The second Victoria's Secret show, although not featuring songs by Westeros, still sold 12 million copies of the videotape, thanks to original performances by famous groups like the Backstreet Boys.
This time, even without considering anything else, just the first theme's *The Phoenix* alone would probably be enough to sell millions of copies.
The "Super Bowl" of the fashion world indeed.
And the price was undoubtedly high.
Anna Wintour had inquired with Victoria's Secret CEO Grace Nichols beforehand and learned that the total investment for this fashion show had reached $30 million.
$30 million.
If it weren't for the substantial revenue generated by broadcasting the show on TV and selling videotapes, the Victoria's Secret brand itself wouldn't be able to afford such a budget.
Still, how long could such brilliance last?
Then she thought, even if it ended one day, just the preserved footage would be enough to last through time.
That's the power of a classic.
As she pondered, the brief interlude ended, and the next theme quickly began.
Unlike the passionate "Wild Call," the second theme, "Snowfall Splendor," was ethereal and light, with the background music switching to pure instrumentals. The opening act featured Cindy Crawford, the most alluring of the six Victoria's Secret Angels. As the angels entered, snowflakes began to fall from the ceiling.
Of course, it wasn't real snow, but it added to the dreamlike atmosphere of the theme.
Cindy Crawford, Yasmin Ghauri, Claudia Schiffer, Carla Bruni, Elle Macpherson... until the final closing act by Eva Herzigova.
Each angel was a household name.
Even during the four major fashion weeks, few brands could gather such a lineup of superstars, yet here they were, all part of a single Victoria's Secret theme.
The cost of this alone was staggering.
In fact, it wasn't just about money.
Every industry has its unspoken rules of avoiding head-to-head competition among big names. Celebrities usually avoid working together as much as possible.
But the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was an exception in the fashion world.
In recent years, landing a spot on the Victoria's Secret runway had become a symbol of status and prestige.
The title of "supermodel," which emerged in the 1980s, was mostly a result of marketing by modeling agencies, and thus often lacked genuine merit.
Now, Egret Portals' fashion section has created a ranking based on elements like magazine covers, ad campaigns, and brand runway shows, where only those in the top ten can be called "supermodels." With permanent points accumulation, they even introduced a permanent supermodel medal similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
This ranking, which gained immense credibility due to being watched by millions of users in real-time, has quietly become the most important ranking in the fashion industry. Many brands now reference this list when choosing collaborators.
In the ranking criteria, whether a model has walked the Victoria's Secret runway carries significant weight. Given the widespread recognition of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, few have questioned the value placed on the status of a Victoria's Secret Angel.
As a result, if a model can't even land a spot on the Victoria's Secret runway, calling themselves a "supermodel" seems somewhat hollow.
Anna Wintour, somewhat regretful that *VOGUE* couldn't launch a similar ranking, couldn't help but think of Naomi Campbell, the "Black Pearl." Once considered the definitive black supermodel, it was a pity that her poor interpersonal skills had kept her barred from the Victoria's Secret show since the first edition. Even though she had reportedly tried to reconcile several times, she still hadn't received an invitation.
Thus, since the release of Egret Portals' ranking, this former black supermodel had never made it into the top ten.
Given the intense competition in the fashion industry, missing out on the broad exposure provided by the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, coupled with the resulting ripple effects, had already caused Naomi Campbell's popularity to wane in recent years.
A good runway walk—so what?
Look at the models on the runway now. Reportedly, due to Simon Westeros' stringent requirements, in recent years, every model who has walked the Victoria's Secret runway, even some well-established supermodels, has significantly improved their runway skills. Naomi Campbell's once formidable advantage no longer stands out.
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