Victoria’s Secret (VS) is a brand renowned for its ‘sexy’ lingerie’s and beauty products amplifying a brand image of Barbie models with the perfect hip-waist ratio. Having risen into fame as a world dominating modelling agency, whose only models (Victoria’s Secret Angels) came from an East-European background.
As society progressed onto multiculturalism, VS too attempted to branch out into inclusivity by hiring models from various cultural backgrounds (Asian, African, and Middle Eastern). Unfortunately, the brand’s focus had remained stagnant in representing the idealised women’s body ‘slim and trim’.
Eventually plus sized women were spotlighted to better expand the company’s reach and resonate VS’s products with women of all shapes and sizes. Victoria Secret is notoriously known for their promotion of unrealistic body standards for women.
Fast forward to 2021, brains have finally overridden beauty in the modelling industry. Victoria Secret’s Angels are now represented by seven women famous for their achievements and not body sizes.
These gems include Priyanka Chopra Jonas an Indian actress, producer and entrepreneur; Megan Rapinoe a soccer star, LGBTQIA+ activist, pay equity crusader; Eileen Gu who is a World champion free skier, youth and women’s sports advocate and model; Paloma Elsesser is a body advocate, community Creator and model; Valentina Sampaio was VS’s first open transgender model, activist and actor; Amanda de Cadenet who’s a journalist, photographer, equality advocate and the founder of GirlGaze and Adut Akech is a refugee, mental health supporter and model.
These talented women, form a new group known as the VS Collective, who will offer their advice on brand ventures, appear in advertisements, and promote Victoria’s Secret on social platforms. The VS Collective is all onboard to lead the new mission: inspiring change and positivity.
The Indian actress, singer, and film producer, Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ has been a prominent figure in advocating for women’s rights, speaking on behalf of UNICEF as their Global Goodwill Ambassador. She also has a non-profit organisation named ‘Priyanka Foundation’ whose purpose is to serve sick children and families worldwide. It is a pleasure seeing a figure of her caliber being represented as a VS spokeswoman and having young girls gather inspiration that feeds intellectuality over surface level beauty.
She shares her view on this exciting venture as “I am most excited for new customers and for those who have always been a customer of Victoria’s Secret, to feel represented and like they belong.”
Victoria Secret is undertaking a massive image rebrand by redefining what they consider to be ‘sexy’’ and ‘appealing’. Their products sold to the masses and the company values of what femininity looks to them is slowly changing just as society is progressing onto catering for women of all walks of life (maternal, LGBTI+ community)
“We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want” said Martin Waters, the former chief executive of Victoria’s Secret’s international business.
Compiled from multiple news sources.
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