When it comes to lingerie, few brands have a more recognizable name than victoria secret. But the iconic brand has seen its share of ups and downs in recent years. Its annual fashion show was canceled in 2019, but the company is aiming to revive it this year with a film and an updated runway show. The company has also been revamping its product line and marketing strategies to better reflect current trends. The VS brand has made strides to become more inclusive, and it has begun targeting younger generations who are more likely to expect progressive social stances from the companies they support.
The brand is owned by American retail giant L Brands, which also owns PINK, a less-expensive sister line that has its own line of fashion shows and promotional events. The VS and PINK lines are largely sold through their own stores, but they’re also found in many other places, including department stores and high-end malls around the country. In addition to their flagship stores, the brands have their own websites and social media pages where customers can interact with them.
Victoria’s Secret is still the largest lingerie retailer in the US, and it has a reputation for offering a wide range of styles to cater to all different tastes. The brand was founded in 1977 by Roy Raymond, who was inspired by European lingerie brands to create an American version that was both luxurious and affordable. The company quickly grew in popularity, and by the early 1990s it had more than 350 stores nationwide. In 1995, the VS annual fashion show was launched, and it helped cement the company’s image as an exotic, sensual, and upscale lingerie brand.
In the early 2000s, the brand began focusing more on sex appeal, and it dubbed its models “Angels.” Supermodels like Stephanie Seymour, Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen, Adriana Lima, and Gigi Hadid became synonymous with the brand, appearing in high-concept, expensive, high-budget commercials directed by the likes of Michael Bay and strutting down the runway at the famous fashion show.
But the company’s image took a hit in 2019 when it emerged that a former CEO and several top executives had connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Epstein managed Wexner’s money and even offered input on which women should be models for the company. Some of Epstein’s victims claim he used his connection to the company to coerce them into sexual acts.
After the controversies, VS spent the next few years revamping its image and shifting its products to better reflect modern tastes. The VS website now includes size-inclusive and diversity-inclusive models, and the company has been introducing more maternity and nursing bras to meet customer demand. It has also rebranded its lingerie line as Happy Nation, and it’s working to include more diverse models in its new catalogs. The company has also announced plans to return its yearly fashion show in 2023.