If you are looking for the best selling lingerie in the world, you’ve probably already heard of Victoria’s Secret. The company is famous for its high-visibility marketing. The company’s history started with a wildly popular catalogue, and then an annual fashion show featuring supermodels. Today, you can buy lingerie made by Victoria’s Secret at more than 200 locations worldwide. But what’s the secret to the brand’s success?
Ed Razek, who had joined the Limited company in the 1980s, shaped the company’s marketing strategies. He credited Wexner with the creative vision that made the company famous. The annual fashion show became an international phenomenon and a global cultural event. Its early success came when the company began hiring supermodels, including Yasmeen Ghauri and Jill Goodacre. They helped the brand gain an audience and spawned a number of television commercials.
However, the rebrand was not without its problems. Customers were upset that the company refused to be inclusive in its model selection and did not stray from its rigid definition of “fantasy.” The brand’s aggressive stance was counterproductive to the brand’s goals of being “inclusive,” and it reflected the company’s dated playbook. As a result, Victoria’s Secret was forced to rebrand in order to address these problems.
Today, Victoria’s Secret has diversified beyond just lingerie and sexy clothing. The brand also offers a range of complementary products in the form of activewear and swimwear. In addition, the company has a beauty division. Until the early 2000s, Victoria’s Secret stores were the most popular locations, with most of them concentrating in the U.S. Its brand name atop the retail sector.
In June 2021, Victoria’s Secret will replace its Angels with activists. These seven women, led by Megan Rapinoe and Priyanka Chopra, will redefine what it means to be sexy, and launch new programs, product lines, and content. In addition, the brand will champion a new fundraising initiative to fight breast cancer. And while the new era of VS Collective may be a good thing for Victoria’s Secret, it’s not without its problems.
The name of the brand was originally given by a British royal. Raymond borrowed money to start Victoria’s Secret and dreamed of stores that would look like boudoirs. He wanted to create an atmosphere that conveyed Victorian propriety and sophistication. The company started with a 42-page catalogue, and eventually sold it for $1 million to Leslie Wexner. Leslie Wexner eventually bought the business, and within a decade it had a value of over $1 billion. Sadly, Raymond died tragically in 2006 at the age of 45 after a suicide attempt.
Despite the success of the company, some analysts think the brand can’t sustain its popularity indefinitely. The company first gained popularity in 1977 with a single store in San Francisco. In 1980, the company’s first catalogue incorporated a sensual Victorian character, but later evolved into a feminist brand. Today, Victoria’s Secret boasts more than 600 stores and a $1 billion annual sales volume. This makes it one of the largest apparel brands in the world.