Reality TV star Kylie Jenner has sparked mixed reaction after making her Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show debut in a $50m (£37m) bra.

The make-up mogul surprised the crowd at the lingerie giant’s annual show on Sunday while wearing the famed Fantasy Bra, which was made of 18-carat gold and 4,410 diamonds, according to the designer.

The Fantasy Bra has been a key feature of the show over the years and wearing it is typically seen as an honour and defining moment for the chosen model.

The Kardashians star, 29, being selected to wear the piece delighted some fans, while many others criticised the brand for not giving the opportunity to a veteran supermodel.

Social media and marketing expert Joel Marlinarson says the moment was well-engineered and generated “a lot of conversation” on what it means for the “future of modelling and social media”.

“Of course Kylie represents a new era of celebrity where brands are prioritising who’s going to bring the most eyeballs, as opposed to who fits the cookie cutter definition of a model,” he tells BBC Newsbeat.

Marlinarson says young viewers have a connection with Jenner having grown up watching her on social media and through her reality show with her Kardashian sisters.

However, he says there will be a section of the audience who remembers “the iconic Naomi Campbell era of fashion” who might see Jenner being given this moment as a “betrayal of what they know”.

“Ultimately, this represents this new era of marketing where brands, particularly Victoria’s Secret and legacy brands, they don’t want to take risks,” he says.

“They want to bring in somebody who they know is going to generate eyeballs, who’s going to generate those headlines and who can consistently raise a crowd and that’s exactly what Victoria’s Secret has done.”

Some fans cheered on Jenner in the comments of a video shared on Victoria’s Secret Instagram page unveiling the dramatic look., external

While many others branded it as “pure disrespect to real models” and questioned why she was picked out of a “room full of talented models”.

One said the show has “gone from iconic glamour to an influencer circus” and they felt “social media clout and performative inclusivity have replaced real modeling talent, elegance, and runway presence”.

Chief creative officer at Victoria’s Secret, Adam Selman, told Vogue, external that Jenner was picked for being a “cultural powerhouse”.

“Kylie really extends beyond fashion, beyond culture, beyond TV, beyond one singular thing,” he adds.

“That’s the exact same thing that we do.

“Like, the show is so big, it’s true entertainment, and I think that she is a great catalyst for that.”

British model Summer Nesbeth tells Newsbeat that she feels Victoria’s Secret choosing Jenner was their attempt to keep up with young fans.

“She’s an influencer with a lot of power and we are in the social media age,” says the 25-year-old, who has walked the runway at New York Fashion Week.

The lingerie brand’s catwalk show was scrapped after its 2018 edition drew low ratings, as well as criticism that it was sexist, outdated and lacked diversity.

It returned in 2024, with a promise to “celebrate all women” and featured more a diverse range of talent, including Ashley Graham’s appearance as a plus-sized model.

Victoria’s Secret created this year’s Fantasy Bra in collaboration with jewellery brand Jacob & Co, who said it was the “most valuable” one ever created and took 15 artists more than 1,000 hours to create.

Nesbeth believes the focus on the bra shows “how detached we are”.

“People can’t eat, people can’t afford to keep their lights on,” she says.

“I think there’s a lot of things to say about where we’re focussing our attention and where we’re putting our money.”

BBC Newsbeat has contacted Victoria’s Secret.

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