Victoria’s Secret is the world’s largest lingerie brand, famous for its bejeweled bras and angel wings. But this year, the brand is attempting to revamp its image with a new fashion show and campaign that promotes inclusivity. However, the company faces a long road ahead to regain its lost popularity and trust.
The lingerie giant’s roots date back to 19th century Britain. Roy Raymond borrowed money from his in-laws to establish Victoria’s Secret, opening five stores and a 40-page catalog. He named the store after Queen Victoria because he wanted the lingerie to evoke her boudoir and a sense of luxury. He also incorporated Victorian undergarments into the line, such as petticoats and drawers.
Over the decades, Victoria’s Secret grew into a global brand, expanding into beauty products and swimwear in addition to lingerie. In 1995, the annual fashion show was introduced, and it became an iconic part of the brand. The show was hosted by many celebrities, including models like Christy Turlington and Gisele Bündchen, who reportedly earned up to $10 million annually.
But in the last half decade, calls for increased representational inclusivity — in body size, race and ethnicity, gender — have put the brand on notice. More overtly inclusive lingerie companies such as ThirdLove and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty began to chip away at Victoria’s Secret’s market share, and in 2016, sales started to slide.
The 2022 release of a Hulu documentary series about the brand’s former CEO Leslie Wexner and his connections to Jeffrey Epstein further tarnished the brand’s reputation. In response, the company announced in 2022 that it was rebranding to focus on the female audience and letting customers define what sexy is.
A few years later, the brand shifted its model pool to include plus-size and transgender models and included seven women with disabilities in the show. The company also partnered with a diversity PR firm to support its new message.
While these moves are encouraging, it is unclear whether they will be enough to restore the Victoria’s Secret reputation and boost sales. The company must move beyond surface-level changes to reclaim its reputation as a leader in inclusivity. To do that, it must truly embrace the new definitions of sexy and demonstrate that it is committed to the future of women and young girls in America. In turn, this will set a positive example for other brands. For marketers, this means making the most of younger audiences — who tend to expect progressive social stances from the brands they support — by targeting their marketing efforts accordingly. By doing this, Victoria’s Secret can win the hearts and wallets of a generation that will be its most loyal consumers.