Victoria’s Secret has been entangled in controversy over the past few years. The company was called out for its non-inclusive definition of what counts as sexy and also accused of misogyny.
In 2019, the annual fashion show was called off. Now, Victoria’s Secret has announced that the lingerie brand has revamped its marketing model and the Angels are no more.
The brand has now launched two initiatives: The VS Collective and The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers. In a statement released on June 16, Victoria’s Secret introduced The VS Collective, “an ever-growing group of accomplished women who share a common passion to drive positive change.”
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
Among the first to join The VS Collective are:
Adut Akech – Refugee, Mental Wellness Supporter, Model
Amanda de Cadenet – Journalist, Photographer, GirlGaze Founder & Equality Advocate
Eileen Gu – World Champion Free Skier, Youth & Women’s Sports Advocate, Model
Megan Rapinoe – LGBTQIA+ Activist, Pay Equity Crusader, Professional Soccer Player
Paloma Elsesser – Body Advocate, Community Creator, Model
Priyanka Chopra Jonas – Actor, Producer, Entrepreneur
Valentina Sampaio – LGBTQIA+ Activist, Actor, Model
The new partnerships – The VS Collective and The Victoria’s Secret Global Fund for Women’s Cancers – are created to positively influence the lives of women.
“I’ve known that we needed to change this brand for a long time,” Martin Waters, the former head of Victoria’s Secret’s international business, who was appointed chief executive of the brand in February, told The New York Times.
“Right now, I don’t see [the Angels] as being culturally relevant,” he said adding that when the world was changing, we were too slow to respond. “We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want,” he continued.
“At Victoria’s Secret, we are on an incredible journey to become the world’s leading advocate for women,” he stated. “This is a dramatic shift for our brand, and it’s a shift that we embrace from our core. These new initiatives are just the beginning. We are energized and humbled by the work ahead of us.”
