The brand’s iconic supermodels have been a symbol of female empowerment for decades, but the company has undergone years of internal turmoil and competition. In the wake of its fall from grace, executives hope to reinvent the brand and redefine the definition of sex. The new executives are trying to rebrand Victoria’s Secret as a global advocate for female empowerment. In a recent interview, CEO Mary A. Patton shared her plan to revitalize the brand and reinvent the company’s image.
In February 2018, the company appointed seven women to form the “VS Collective” to advise the brand and appear in commercials and Instagram posts. The women’s groups are also helping to rebrand the brand. The brand is a global brand with an industry standing and cultural influence. Founded in 1964, Victoria’s Secret has a 21 percent share of the women’s underwear market in the U.S., compared to a mere 16 percent for Hanesbrands.
The company’s first store opened in San Francisco in 1977. The catalog that followed introduced the brand to the public and introduced the sensual Victoria, the modern feminism. In 1982, Raymond sold his company to The Limited, Inc. and saw it grow to more than 600 stores. Its sales now top $2 billion. In the early 1990s, Victoria’s Secret had already grown from a seven-million-dollar operation to a global brand with over 600 stores. The brand’s global success stems from the enduring appeal of the Victoria’s Secret brand.
Although it began with small-scale fashion shows, Victoria’s Secret has since expanded into the mainstream, with a runway show featuring fantasy Angels. It expanded into shopping malls and launched a range of cosmetics. In 2002, the company introduced the PINK brand, aimed at teenagers. The brand has since expanded internationally, with company-owned stores in the UK and Canada. A recent advertisement for a nursing bra in Victoria’s Spring 2015 campaign received over 1 billion views on television, making it the world’s most watched fashion event.
Although the Victoria’s Secret brand has had a turbulent history, its brand has managed to rebrand itself as a mainstream company. Its rebranding effort was accompanied by a series of blunders and controversy. As a result, the company began to shift the focus from its core business of selling bras to promoting women’s underwear. The company has also expanded into the junior market with Pink, using a hypersexual approach to promote its brand. The show’s episodes featured models in erotic schoolgirl outfits, accompanied by oversized lollipops and child’s toys.
The Victoria’s Secret documentary follows the rise and fall of the company and traces the company’s evolution. As one of the most successful retail companies in the United States, Victoria’s Secret grew along with the wave of feminism in the 1990s. Its brand grew and soared as women sought to achieve the image of the sexiest supermodels. The company also received a lot of media endorsements, and even influenced the lives of many women.