The popular lingerie and undergarment brand, Victoria’s Secret, is known for its unattainable beauty standards and hypersexual lingerie. After facing much controversy for its ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the alleged sexual harassment of models, and deep-rooted misogyny within the brand, Victoria’s Secret attempted to rebrand as inclusive and body positive. The brand replaced the iconic angels in favor of a rebrand, claiming to redefine the term ‘sexy’ and portraying ‘what women want’. However, the rebrand resulted in the company’s loss of millions of dollars while actually reinforcing beauty standards and emphasizing Victoria’s Secret’s ignorance of the body positivity movement. Not only was the revamp performative and ingenuine, but VS failed to acknowledge its history of misogyny and the unattainable body standards it has long promoted.
During September of 2023, Victoria's Secret made a second attempt to redeem itself by releasing the Amazon Prime original film, Victoria's Secret The Tour '23. The short film follows twenty artists who 'strive to make the iconic Victoria's Secret platform their own.' The film does this by displaying not only the VS models, but the work of creatives behind the scenes, including the fashion designers and filmmakers. Due to the failure of Victoria’s Secret’s first rebrand, which also featured the casting of racial minorities, gender non-conforming and plus-sized individuals , this move was heavily scrutinized. While the tour may speak openly about "queerness, bodily autonomy, protests, and what it means to be a woman"(Colón) there are mixed reviews regarding the results of the campaign.
Brand inclusivity is crucial for equal representation, as very few women actually fit the Victoria's Secret beauty standard. By diversifying their models, VS is hypothetically able to broaden their representation, and foster a sense of inclusivity among a wider audience, thus generating more sales. However, since VS represents a deeply misogynistic culture, by no longer conforming to the beauty standard, sales actually decreased. Victoria's Secret’s history is embedded with the reinforcing of patriarchal and sexist attitudes, as their brand was not built on women's empowerment, but has catered to the male gaze and what men desire. Being that traditional beauty standards are deeply ingrained in the fashion industry, some critics labeled new products as ‘less appealing’ due to their non-alignment with the model ideal. This also emphasized the 'myth of the unattainable supermodel', as some argue that supermodels are intended to embody an unattainable ideal. By rebranding, VS is undermining their core concept of the supermodel.
It is safe to conclude that "the task of quantifying female body attractiveness remains complex" as "perceived attractiveness is influenced by media exposure and sociocultural standards" (Maymone 72). However, these arguments serve to merely rationalize the persistent influence of Eurocentric, patriarchal, and heteronormative standards that are deeply ingrained in our culture. This proves that it is necessary for us to actively challenge our preconceived biases in order to guarantee a successful rebrand. As consumers, we find ourselves at the intersection of two powerful forces, being the pursuit of authenticity and inclusivity, and the resistance to change rooted in ingrained societal norms. The willingness to question established norms is crucial to work towards a world where authenticity and inclusivity are not just branding strategies, but fundamental principles of our society.
Edited by Nicole Dancey
Works Cited
Colón, Ana. “What Does ’victoria’s Secret: Tour ‘23’ Really Accomplish?” Fashionista, 26 Sept. 2023, fashionista.com/2023/09/victorias-secret-the-tour-2023-fashion-show-review.
Maymone, Mayra Bc, et al. "Unattainable standards of beauty: temporal trends of Victoria’s Secret models from 1995 to 2018." Aesthetic surgery journal 40.2 (2020): NP72-NP76.
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