Transgender, skier and footballer: Victoria's Secret introduced new "angels"
Victoria's Secret new faces collage
The brand, which previously faced financial problems and reputational losses due to a sexist scandal, has revised its policy.
The world-famous lingerie brand Victoria's Secret, famous for its luxurious shows featuring the most beautiful supermodels in the world, the so-called "angels" with perfect figures and long slender legs, has unveiled a new list of stars who will represent Victoria's Secret as part of its updated marketing model, writes The New York Times.
According to the publication, the Victoria's Secret Angels are no more. Instead, on June 16 this year, the brand launched two initiatives called The VS Collective and The Victoria's Secret Global Fund for Women's Cancer.
The first is described as "an ever-growing group of experienced women who share a common passion for positive change."
"Through social, cultural and business relationships, the VS team will work to create new partnership programs, revolutionary product collections, compelling and inspiring content, and mobilize support for women's vital causes," the company said.
The first members of VS Collective were models, activists, athletes and artists from all over the world. They include pink-haired US soccer champion Megan Rapino, Indian-American actress Priyanka Chopra, South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech, Los Angeles-based photographer Amanda de Cadenet, Chinese skier Eileen Gu, British model and body activist Paloma Elsesser, and Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio, Victoria Secret's first transgender model in 2019.
"At Victoria's Secret, we are on an incredible journey to become the world's leading advocate for women. This is a shift that we embrace from our core. These new initiatives are just the beginning. We are full of energy and looking forward to the work ahead," the CEO said. brand director Martin Waters.
Victoria's Secret New Models New Victoria's Secret Models Photo: Victoria's Secret
How successful such a move will be for a brand that only recently sold lingerie under the guise of male fantasy and has come under scrutiny in recent years due to its owner's relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as the epicenter of the scandal, the media cannot predict.
The scandal erupted last year after The New York Times claimed Victoria's Secret had a history of "misogyny, bullying and harassment, according to interviews with more than 30 current and former executives, employees, contractors and models, as well as the court, and other documents".
A year earlier, E!News reported that the womenswear brand was facing multiple financial hurdles, including strong competition from inclusive brands such as Aerie and Savage x Fenty, which may have contributed to its declining sales. L Brands' parent company CFO Stuart Burgderfer announced in November 2019 that "it's time for the angels to spread their blinded wings as the televised fashion show comes to an end":
“We will communicate with customers, but I would say that nothing is like a fashion show. You can be sure that we will communicate with customers through many means, including social networks and various, more modern platforms, if you like.” he said.
Recall that in January last year, information appeared that 82-year-old Leslie Wexner, the owner of the Victoria's Secret brand, whose fortune Forbes estimates as of January 29 at $ 4.6 billion, is in talks to sell the lingerie business or part of it.