Victoria’s Indian wings

Lekha Washington; (right) Wings signify an inherent celebration of self and individuation to Lekha

After a five-year hiatus, the Victoria's Secret fashion show is making a comeback this year with a powerful line-up of "angels", including pop icon Cher, Blackpink's LISA, and Grammy winner Tyla, alongside supermodel and political activist Gigi Hadid.

The famous wings, the brand's most distinctive iconography, are being reimagined by artists as installations globally. This is being spearheaded by actor-product designer Lekha Washington in India, who has renewed her award-winning Red Dot Chair as an installation in malls across Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru until the fashion show in New York on October 15.

Speaking of her association with the lingerie brand, Washington shares a personal anecdote that underscores her long-standing admiration for it. She recalls a childhood memory of discovering a Victoria's Secret bra belonging to her grandmother that she playfully wore on her head - it left a powerful impression on her mind. "My grandmother was a lovely, bright woman with a distinct sense of fashion. She would travel often." Since then, for Washington, the lingerie brand has always meant very high attention to detail regarding design. "When Apparel Group approached me for this collaboration with Victoria's Secret India, I was excited to create something that combined their iconic designs with my own aesthetic," she adds.

Wings signify an inherent celebration of self and individuation to her, just like her red dot chair. "It is one of my most-loved pieces as it celebrates the individual, just like the Victoria's Secret wings. This installation symbolises the strength of self-empowerment and the courage to embrace one's true identity. When someone sits in this, it's not just a chair; it is a celebration of the individual and an excellent feeling that flows into each other quite well," she adds, connecting the two to themes of empowerment and self-expression.

To Washington, inner resilience is about the quiet, personal battles we face every day - the ones that often go unspoken but shape us in profound ways. "While we celebrate career achievements or visible successes," she explains, "we all fight unseen battles whether it's learning to set boundaries, moving on from a breakup, or building the resilience to overcome grief - these are things we rarely discuss."

Victoria's Secret wings in this installation are an extension of that idea - representing an inner strength that we carry within us. Like a hidden source of strength, these designs embody resilience and support, just as a well-fitting piece of lingerie does. Though unseen, they uplift you from within, celebrating your inner fortitude in a form that's as beautiful as you are.

A distinct design language for each mural seamlessly ties all three pieces together. "It isn't easy to typecast an entire city into one particular piece of art because there's such variety in each city," says the Bandra resident. So, I've created three distinct individual feelings of celebration of self. Hopefully, the cities will not mind if I send them exactly what I think fits."

Delhi piece is "highly over the top, with luxurious fabrics, feathers, and ribbons, creating a lavish and extravagant aesthetic," she says. "Bengaluru is a bold statement piece that has ribbons shaped like wings, flowing with dynamic movement. I've used boning to structure the ribbons, giving them a sense of both fluidity and a sense of wildness- the untamed spirit," she explains.

The third piece, for Mumbai drove Washington completely crazy. "I tried to capture the moment where the paint splash is frozen. For this, I used an enormous amount of silicone, which is a tough material to work with. It is an abstract interpretation of wings with silicone and brass. It's a mural in its truest form because it sits into a painting or has that sense of merging into a piece of art."

Washington believes the ultimate goal of her work is to evoke introspection and wonder in those who interact with it.

"I aspire for people to experience that delightful ‘wow' moment. More than anything, I want them to feel a profound sense of celebration for the individual."
The Mumbai mural can be viewed at Palladium in Lower Parel.

1977
Was the year that Victoria's Secret was founded by Roy and Gaye Raymond