"That was the happiest thirty minutes of my life," beamed the man sitting behind me as the 2016 Victoria's Secret show came to an end in Paris. From the whoops, cheers and laughter which had erupted throughout the purple-lit Grand Palais, it was clear he wasn't the only one who had immensely enjoyed watching 51 of the world's top models take to the glitter-strewn catwalk in an undeniably upbeat celebration of, well, underwear.
As the show began, a voice boomed out over a tannoy to announce that we were "in the home of the fashion show and lingerie." Indeed, the Grand Palais, the magnificent glass-construct sandwiched between the Seine and the Champs Elysee, is more often the home of Chanel's fashion shows which take place there four times a year. But the high-octane offering from the American underwear brand, which reportedly enjoyed revenues of $7.2 billion in 2014/15, was surely like no other fashion show the venue had hosted before.
recollection of the shoe.