Is Victoria's Secret Still Successful in 2024?

Victoria’s Secret has grown to be one of the world’s most well-known and prosperous lingerie and clothing brands.

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How did they become so popular?

Roy Raymond established Victoria’s Secret in 1977. Raymond was inspired to create the company after feeling embarrassed while trying to buy lingerie for his wife at a department store. He wanted to create a store that would be more welcoming and comfortable for men to shop for lingerie. The first Victoria’s Secret store was opened in Palo Alto, California.

The company quickly gained popularity and expanded across the United States. In 1982, Victoria’s Secret was acquired by The Limited, a retailing company, which later changed its name to L Brands. Under the ownership of L Brands, Victoria’s Secret has continued to grow and expand, opening new stores and launching new products.

What sets Victoria’s Secret apart from other stores

Victoria's Secret Store — Source: Dwight Burdette by CC3.0

VS is known for its wide range of lingerie, including bras, panties, and sleepwear. The company also sells various clothing, including swimwear, loungewear, and athletic wear. In addition to its lingerie and apparel, VS sells a range of beauty products, including perfumes, lotions, and body care products.

The company is known for its commitment to quality and fashion. Victoria’s Secret uses high-quality materials and designs in its products, and the company is known for its focus on creating fashionable and comfortable products. Victoria’s Secret also strongly emphasizes customer service, and the company’s retail stores are known for their welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.

The company’s marketing strategies

Victoria’s Secret uses a variety of marketing strategies to promote its products and brand. Some of the critical methods used by the company include advertising, social media marketing, in-store events and promotions, and partnerships and collaborations with other brands and influencers.

One of the key marketing strategies used by VS is advertising. The company uses a range of advertising channels, including television, print, and online. Victoria’s Secret is known for its highly-anticipated annual fashion show, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, a major television event that serves as a platform for the company to showcase its latest products and designs. In addition to the fashion show, VS uses television, print, and online advertising to promote its products and brands.

VS also uses social media marketing as a critical part of its marketing strategy. The company has a strong presence on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. VS uses social media to engage with its customers, share product updates and promotions, and showcase its products and brand.

In addition to advertising and social media marketing, VS uses in-store events and promotions to drive traffic to its retail stores. The company frequently offers special promotions and sales, and it also hosts in-store events, such as beauty workshops and fashion shows, to engage with its customers and showcase its products.

Victoria’s Secret also uses partnerships and collaborations with other brands and influencers in its marketing strategy. The company has partnered with several different brands and influencers to promote its products and brand, and it has also collaborated with designers and other fashion industry professionals on special collections and limited edition products.

What are the main criticism factors of Victoria’s Secret?

VS has faced criticism for many reasons, including its marketing tactics, lack of inclusivity, and environmental impact.

One of the main criticisms of VS is its marketing tactics, which are often seen as objectifying and sexualizing women. The company’s advertising and marketing campaigns often feature women in provocative poses, and some critics argue that these tactics can harm women’s body image and self-esteem. In addition, VS has been criticized for using airbrushing and Photoshop in its advertising, which can create unrealistic and unattainable beauty standards.

Another criticism of VS is its lack of inclusivity. The company has been criticized for lacking diversity in its fashion shows, with many people calling for the inclusion of more diverse body types and skin tones. In addition, VS has been criticized for its lack of clothing options for plus-sized women, with some arguing that the company does not adequately cater to the needs and preferences of this demographic.

VS has also faced criticism for its environmental impact. The company has been criticized for using synthetic materials, such as polyester, in its clothing, which can take hundreds of years to break down in landfills. In addition, Victoria’s Secret has been criticized for its lack of transparency regarding its environmental policies and practices.

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is an annual fashion show produced by the lingerie and clothing company. The show features some of the world’s top models wearing VS lingerie and clothing, and it is known for its elaborate costumes and musical performances. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has become a highly-anticipated and cultural phenomenon.

The first Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show was held in 1995 and has been held annually since then. The show typically takes place in November or December and is broadcast on television. The show is known for its elaborate sets, costumes, and musical performances, and it has featured some of the world’s most famous models, including Tyra Banks, Gisele Bündchen, and Heidi Klum.

In addition to showcasing VS’s latest lingerie and clothing collections, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is also known for its unique “fantasy bra” segment, in which one of the models wears a special bra decorated with diamonds, gems, and other expensive materials. The fantasy bra is one of the show’s highlights and is often featured in the media.

Victoria’s Secret Angels

Victoria’s Secret Angels are a group of models selected to represent the lingerie and clothing company. The Victoria’s Secret Angels are known for their beauty and their involvement in the company’s annual fashion show, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

The first Victoria’s Secret Angel was model Karen Mulder, who was selected to represent the brand in 1997. Since then, several other models have been chosen to be Victoria’s Secret Angels, including Tyra Banks, Gisele Bündchen, Adriana Lima, and Heidi Klum.

To become a Victoria’s Secret Angel, the company must select a model. This typically involves being invited to participate in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and then offered a contract to represent the brand. Victoria’s Secret Angels are known for their beauty, as well as their fitness and healthy lifestyle. They are often featured in the company’s advertising and marketing campaigns, and they are considered among the world’s top models.

Perfect Body and Pink campaign

The “Perfect Body” campaign was launched in 2014 and featured images of VS models with the slogan “The Perfect Body” written across the top. The campaign was widely criticized for promoting an unrealistic and unattainable body type and suggesting that only certain body types were considered “perfect.” Many people pointed out that the models featured in the campaign all had similar body types and that the campaign did not represent the diversity of body types and shapes that exist in the real world.

In response to the criticism, VS changed the campaign slogan to “A Body for Every Body” and added images of models with a broader range of body types to the campaign. However, many people felt that the changes were insufficient and that the movement still promoted an unrealistic and unhealthy body image.

Victoria’s Secret Pink is a lingerie and clothing line aimed at young women and marketed as the “college lifestyle” brand of Victoria’s Secret. The Pink Line was launched in 2004 and has become a famous brand among college-aged women. The brand is known for its colorful and trendy clothing, including loungewear, yoga pants, sweatpants, and lingerie and sleepwear.

Watch the mini-series Angels & Demons from Hulu to learn more about VS
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Harassment

There have been allegations of harassment within the company in the past. In 2019, several former employees of Victoria’s Secret filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that they had been subjected to sexual harassment and discrimination while working for the company. The case claimed that Victoria’s Secret had a “boys’ club” culture and that women who complained about harassment were ignored or punished. Victoria’s Secret has denied the allegations, and the lawsuit is ongoing.

The numbers are always telling the truth.

The global women’s night and underwear market was valued at about 74.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2021.

Victoria’s Secret company generated revenues of 6.8 billion dollars in its 2021 financial year.

The leading competitor is Calvin Klein, which generated 3.66 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2021.

All statistics are from Statista.com.

Image from Statista.com
Net Sales VS from 2010 to 2021

Comparing the numbers from the official VIctoria’s Secret site, we can see that the operating income in 2022 (end of 2021)

is 870 million U.S. dollars, while 2019 was 400 million U.S. dollars. That showed us that they had a loss through the pandemic, but overall, they had better income for the last four years.

Going further back, we saw an increase from 5.1 billion dollars in 2006 to 7.37 billion dollars in 2019. (source: Fortune.com)

If we look at numbers from 2000, they jumped at 3.08 billion dollars and doubled until 2020. (source: bloomberg.com)

Conclusion

Whatever many would like to think about VS, the truth is that they are the dominating company in the underwear industry.

Despite the good years they had the most significant impact (from the early 80s to the late 90s) and their highest income, VS is still Number One and has a decent yearly income.

Tell us below in the comments what your thoughts are. Are you still buying VS, or did you switch to other brands?

Pashalis Laoutaris

Fashion Blogger

I am a professional writer, fashion blogger, and owner of the site https://laoutaris.com. As a salesperson for more than 20 years, I have experience of 10 years in the fashion industry. I consider myself a true fashionista. I am writing daily blog articles about fashion, tools and converters, and everything you need to know about the current fashion trends.

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