“There were a lot of firsts here,” announced Behati Prinsloo after the Victoria’s Secret show in London’s Earls Court last night. “It’s the first time I opened the show, it’s the first time two models walked the catwalk together, and it’s the first time we’re in London.” It was that London thing that Prinsloo was specifically excited about: “I love it here—the vibe, the culture. Plus, flying here on the VS airplane with all the girls was epic. It was like being back to school with all the kids.”
Russian oligarchs, gangster molls, footballers, a few Miss Universe contestants, WAGs, and starlets mixed it up at the Earls Court after-party. If there was ever an occasion for the beaded ball gown, this was it. Not that the designers in the crowd seemed to mind. Roland Mouret, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, David Koma, Richard Nicoll, Todd Lynn, Henry Holland, Alice Temperley, and Charlotte Dellal rubbed shoulders alongside guests like Natalie Massenet, Joely Richardson, Ed Westwick, and Ellie Goulding. Simon Le Bon and Douglas Booth were both abuzz about the exuberant sets delivered by Ariana Grande, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift (who, btw, clung to her bestie, Karlie Kloss, throughout her performances. Aww.).
Die-hard fashionistas also noticed the superb Nicolas Kirkwood and Sophia Webster shoes and boots that completed the models’ outfits. The rest—sometimes just little triangles of fabric (on girls so perfect they seemed like CGI images of themselves)—was the concoction of creative director Sophia Neophitou-Apostolou. “We looked to the gilded angels in Paris, with a dash of Midsummer Night’s Dream for inspiration,” the stylist told Style.com. “So yes, for VS, we are always guided by art and literature.”
In short order, most of the models decamped back to their home base, the Basement bar at the London Edition hotel, for the after-after-party—if you can call it that. Because here, the tuckered-out Angels mostly changed into jeans and cozies, and champagne gave way to hot choc—yup, don’t forget, a lot of these girls aren’t yet 20. On that note, said Lais Ribeiro: “I am just looking forward to crawling into my bed.” Amen to that, Angel.
