As the #MeToo movement swept across the world, Victoria’s Secret’s brand of femininity began to look rather one-dimensional and vanilla. In a cultural climate where the Internet was full of everything from the darklands of online pornography to mainstream shows like Euphoria, the company’s much-trumpeted sexiness was starting to seem dated.
As a result, the lingerie giant has made a series of moves to revamp its image and become relevant again. The first is an ambitious, three-part documentary series on Hulu, which takes viewers behind the scenes at this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The second is a new line of body-positive and inclusive bras and underwear, available in stores and on the website. And finally, the company is trying to broaden its product offerings from swimwear and activewear, which are two areas where the brand has been slipping in recent years.
Victoria’s Secret soared to popularity in the 2000s as fans tuned in to watch supermodels like Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bundchen strut down the runway in its lace and satin bombshells. The annual fashion show was a phenomenon, with some years seeing it attract a million viewers. It became a tradition to have the model-clad Angels pose in its underwear and swimwear in high-budget commercials. The company also began to advertise its brand at Valentine’s Day, tying it to the holiday’s romantic themes.
Eventually, the company was valued at more than $30 billion. Its tanned, muscular models were the face of an idealized feminine figure that was supposed to be both luscious and healthy. The idealized woman was also a mother, friend and careerwoman. This ideal was perpetuated by Victoria’s Secret founder Arie Wexner, who pushed for a strict fitness regimen for his “Angels.”
By the time the company split from its parent company, L Brands, in 2021, it had made strides toward a more diverse and inclusive vision of women. It had renamed its Angels to “ambassadors” and included plus-size models and disabled and transgender models in the VS Tour, its first televised catwalk show in years.
This year’s VS Fashion Show was held on Tuesday and featured a mix of both classic Angels, including Gigi Hadid and Adriana Lima, and newcomers, such as plus-size model Paloma Elsesser and US football star and campaigner Megan Rapinoe. The brand’s newest bras and underwear were shown to a cast of celebrities.
But will this new direction be enough to reshape the company’s image? Unlike competitors like Aerie, which is part of the American Eagle family and touts its “be real” slogan, it remains to be seen whether Victoria’s Secret can succeed by giving consumers what they want—rather than what some think it should be. Sign up for editorial updates, special offers and breaking news alerts from Vogue Business. You can unsubscribe at any time.