Victoria’s Secret lingerie show hits 20 years

NEW YORK – Some light up, others are pretty in pink, and still more burst forth like fireworks.

Yes, Tuesday was Victoria’s Secret sexpot angel time, though the masses will have to wait until next month to watch the 20th annual lingerie extravaganza on TV. This is just the taping, including musical performances by The Weeknd, Ellie Goulding and Selena Gomez, after Rihanna abruptly canceled.

Veteran VS walkers such as Lily Aldridge and Alessandra Ambrosio were to be be joined by newbie angels, including Martha Hunt and Elsa Hosk. Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid are among the non-winged supermodels new to the glitzy show that generates advance buzz for weeks.

In all, 47 models were scheduled to strut the runway in 75 looks at a Manhattan armory later Tuesday, helping kick off the holiday season. But first, there was hair and makeup to be done and a “pink carpet” of celebrity guests to be walked. Caitlyn Jenner was among the expected, to cheer on daughter Kendall.

Among the showpieces teased in advance were Aldridge in a $2 million demi-bra of 18-karat gold, encrusted with 6,500 diamonds, blue topaz, yellow sapphires and other precious stones fashioned like blasts of streaky color worthy of July Fourth. It was this year’s iteration of the Fantasy Bra in a fireworks design created by jewelry company Mouawad.

Meanwhile, the folks over at Swarovski, one of the show’s sponsors, had a hand in a corset sparkling with 90,000 gold, red, green and blue crystals created by French couturier Serkan Cura. Hunt had the privilege of previewing the look she would don at showtime, along with her wings weighed down by 20,000 crystals of their own and 1,200 battery-powered LED lights. The battery pack she would lug weighed a reported 19 pounds.

The show will air Tuesday, Dec. 8, at 10 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

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