Victoria’s Secret Rebuilds Image With New Models

Victoria’s Secret is rebranding for a more inclusive brand. So, the lingerie line has seven new ambassadors, including Megan Rapinoe and Priyanka Chopra.

Victoria’s Secret is ditching their famous Angels. Instead, now their purpose is to recreate the idea of “sexy” and include women recognized for their achievements. After viewership and sales plunged in 2018, the brand has a rebranding plan called “The VS Collective.”

We are proud to announce an exciting new partnership platform, #TheVSCollective, designed to shape the future of Victoria’s Secret. @adutakech1 @amandadecadenet @mPinoe @priyankachopra Eileen Gu, Paloma Elsesser, Valentina Sampaio https://t.co/IdYrmLWkPM pic.twitter.com/bd9QMhCz2W

— Victoria’s Secret (@VictoriasSecret) June 16, 2021

The brand was not inclusive before, as they only featured “size zero” models. However, the unachievable beauty is switching to a body-positive image. Inclusivity and diversity are essential to make the models more relatable.

For this innovation, The VS Collective has new members. The founding women are Megan Rapinoe, Eileen Gu, Paloma Elsesser, Valentina Sampaio, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. But, of course, these amazing women appeal to a broader audience, which is part of the new marketing campaign.

With the rebrand, Victoria’s Secret wants to shape the idea of “femininity.” Which will switch from the male gaze concept of sexy. In an interview with New York Times, Martin Waters said, “When the world was changing, we were too slow to respond.” Waters is the chief executive of the brand. After, he added, “We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want.”

Furthermore, Waters admits that “Right now, I don’t see it as being culturally relevant,” relating to the Angels model that was the brand’s tradition.

Yesterday @VictoriasSecret announced a new board comprised of 6 women and 1 man.

And the VS Collective, a group of seven women accomplished in their own fields who will advise the company and represent it publicly. https://t.co/RakMZ6d0dQ

— Tiffani Bova (@Tiffani_Bova) June 17, 2021

Rapinoe also had something to say on how the brand carried its image to please men. She divulged about Victoria’s Secret in the same interview with NYT, “Patriarchal, sexist, viewing not just what it meant to be sexy but what the clothes were trying to accomplish through a male lens and through what men desired.” Hence, she is “thrilled” to give visibility to “all woman.”

Literally every guy commenting on this to insult Megan Rapinoe is only further proving the need for this rebrand. Unless you wear bras, stay in your lane, my dude. https://t.co/A5T85n9xt0 pic.twitter.com/wE3hdeqJQU

— Kelley (@pbandkcg) June 16, 2021

Rihanna’s lingerie line, Savage x Fenty inspired the brand to change its vision. Savage x Fenty has included all types of bodies and women in the advertisement. The lingerie brand has had diverse models since the start. That pushed Victoria’s Secret to rebrand their image to a more relatable one.

Fenty X Savage has entered the chat with, ‘Been there, done that.’ I do see VS’ sales going up from this though https://t.co/rYiGa7etgb

— Mama Latte (@theeladylatte) June 17, 2021

The VS Collective is a new strategy that “designed to shape the future of Victoria’s Secret,” as described in the press release. This new collection will inspire women to praise their achievements, not their looks.

VS has often been criticised for not being inclusive and pushing unrealistic beauty standards.

It called off its fashion show in ’19 and hired trans model Valentina Sampaio and curve model Ali Tate Cutler to repair its image.

Many felt that it was too little, and too late.

— Mad Over Marketing (@MadOMarketing) June 18, 2021