- Anfal Sheyx
- Mar 28
- 4 min read
What happened to Victoria’s Secret? In the height of shopping at Westfield on a Thursday afternoon my friend drops the all important question. Something I had been wondering myself, as we pass by the now closed down store. At the height of 2010s maximalism when beauty hauls owned our YouTube pages and Tik Tok was just a song by Kesha, Victoria’s Secret ruled our shopping malls. Its Intimidating glamour felt to us like the pinnacle of womanhood - to be an angel on the runway was to be special, and to own even a body mist could make you feel part of that magic. But now the store we had peered into as teenagers was closed as we walked by, and the Victoria’s Secret as we knew it had changed. Gone are the days of Hollywood like glamour and bigger than life wings; Victoria's Secret was irrelevant.
Having amassed a huge crowd following with the introduction of its runway shows in the late 90s Victoria’s Secret used top models or ‘Angels’ like Adriana Lima and Gisele Bundchen to skyrocket themselves to fame. By 2001 the Victoria’s secret fashion show had an audience of 12 million viewers and by 2005 Victoria's secret has established itself as a flirty, colourful brand. Its marketing was clear – whereas lingerie in the past had been understated and demure, Victoria’s Secret adorned itself with bright colours and prints. They had selectively chosen tall, thin beautiful models who not only upheld but created the beauty standards of the noughties and 2010s.
This aspirational beauty that Victoria’s Secret projected was crucial in its prolonged success, for more than a decade a sea of iconic pink and black striped bags that fell on the arm of almost every consumer with its highest reported sales at $7.78 billion in 2016. With an incredibly strong brand identity and visibility Victoria’s Secret could only succeed, so why is it that 10 years later more and more stores are closing down? What happened to Victoria's secret?
2016 saw the rise of the body positivity movement which while encouraging self love and confidence also simultaneously fought back against the unrealistic body standards of the 2010s. As hashtags like #BodyPositivity and #EffYourBeautyStandards went viral Victoria’s Secret saw criticism of its lack of representation in its Fashion Shows and campaigns. While other lingerie brands like Rhianna’s Fenty which launched in 2018 rose to meet the body positivity movement and included a wide range of representation in its campaigns, Victoria’s Secret’s hesitance to change and adapt to the growing market led to their downfall as the marketing that once made them so successful now left them ostracized, and the Victoria’s Secret Angels walked the runway one last time (or so we thought!) in 2019.
Other brands have made similar mistakes. Glossier’s launch in 2014 influenced the beauty world through its pink packaging and light coverage products making it perfect for the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ that became popular in the later half of the 2010s, as well as bridging the market gap between pre teenagers and teenagers just starting to get into makeup. However, Glossier’s reluctance to respond to its criticisms surrounding their light coverage products being inaccessible for all skin types later led to a loss of interest in its consumer market. Its release of Glossier Play in 2019 only sparred more backlash at its wasteful plastic packaging that was used as wrappers for the new products; showing that a company’s inability to connect with its consumers and respond appropriately to its criticisms can unmake even the strongest brands.
Most recently, Djerf Avenue which launched in 2019 and known for its timeless, aesthetic and ethically sourced pieces faced its own backlash as allegations of toxic workplaces and bullying were revealed against the company’s founder. Mathilda Djerf who had previously maintained a kind, relatable image was now seen as a toxic figure to her consumers, and as a representative for her brand; the lost consumer trust in Mathilda Djerf equates to a lost consumer trust in Djerf Avenue and their initiatives as a company. With brand identity integral to the success of a company, what happens when a brand struggles to know what it stands for? In its prime, Victoria’s secret stood for being fun, flirty and bold. its initial lack of change left the brand behind, and its hurry to keep afterwards felt disingenuous to the consumers.
We had kept waiting with anticipation of a comeback, bring back the glamour! Bring back the glitter! At its heart Victoria's Secret made us feel playful and sexy, and now we're left feeling flat as the store and the brand dissipates behind us. Even after its attempted rebrand 2023 with its Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show World Tour, the brand failed to gain any recognition despite its new inclusivity. The shots of the runway with models walking in dark moody lighting felt an antithesis to the Victoria's secret we know and miss; with its bright pops of colour and playfulness.
The 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show finally gave us hope; with performances by Cher and BLACKPINK’s Lisa and appearances from Kate Moss and Adriana Lima as well as a wider representation we felt a glimmer of the old Victoria’s Secret’s fun and glamour. With ever changing consumer demands, the evolution of brand identities is a necessity and almost always brings about a welcome change, and in the case of Victoria’s Secret – we can’t wait to see what you do next.
