![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/Satan-lucifer-1-1024x588.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAs frivolous middle schoolers, my friends and I used to throw watch parties for the Victoria\u2019s Secret Fashion Show. The lingerie brand was all the rage, and VS Pink was our home. Now, the brand, especially VS Pink, is almost as cringy as Abercrombie. How do I know these sentiments apply to most others? I surveyed 20 girls between the ages of 18 and 22. A brand that used to be on top of the world is now on the outs with its young fan base, an angel fallen from grace.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Golden Age<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\nOne day, Roy Raymond went shopping for a new set of lingerie for his wife and felt extremely uncomfortable. He didn\u2019t want to feel like a pervert in a lingerie store. Somehow, Raymond, a Stanford graduate, had the brilliant idea to create a store where men could comfortably shop for women\u2019s undergarments. It was complete with black leather couches, dark wood, and silk drapes. The store, catalogs, and even products were made with men in mind, not women. It\u2019s no surprise that it didn\u2019t go anywhere.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/lead_720_405.jpg\")
Source: REUTERS\/Toby Melville<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nRaymond might have unknowingly sent a bat signal, because Les Wexner came to his rescue. The owner of L brands saw something in Victoria\u2019s Secret, so he acquired it for $1 million and completely rebranded. It became a bright, colorful, glamorous fantasy for women. Wexner created a 19th century English boudoir crowdsourced from every woman\u2019s imagination, and made it affordable for all kinds of shoppers.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From there, it was only uphill. The famous fashion show began in 1995, and when it aired online in 1999, its 1.5 million viewers crashed the site. Body by Victoria, the comfort bra line, made the brand the ultimate lingerie destination. In 1997, the term \u201cAngels\u201d became synonymous with the Victoria\u2019s Secret when Helena Christensen and Tyra Banks modeled the \u201cAngel\u2019s Underwear Collection\u201d in a TV advertisement. These models, along with Gisele B\u00fcndchen, Adriana Lima, and so many others can thank Victoria\u2019s Secret for their claim to fame.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With such a successful brand complete with it\u2019s own celebrities and experiences, why not start PINK, a location for the teenage audiences. Victoria\u2019s Secret and L Brands was taking the world by storm. Until they weren\u2019t. For some angels, it\u2019s difficult to maintain the rouse of perfection, but it\u2019s almost as if Victoria didn\u2019t even try. Honey, did it hurt when you fell from heaven?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Victoria\u2019s Secret is Out, and it\u2019s Not So Sexy<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/Victoria-Secret-Sport-2017-Campaign14577-747x1024.jpg\")
Victoria’s Secret Sport<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat exactly lead to the Lingerie giant\u2019s downfall? The answer is a collection of very, very bad occurrences. First, the brand failed to capitalize on the bralette and athleisure trend. By the time they came out with their line of sports bras, leggings, and other sporty wear, it was too late. When Victoria wasn\u2019t looking, Lululemon and Nike stole her thunder. It happened again with the body positivity movement. Women began looking for comfortable, natural looks. The hot pink lace just wasn\u2019t working anymore, but Victoria was too high on life (or profits, rather) to notice. Enter: Arie, Savage x Fenty, and the other brands who welcomed an army of women representing all shapes and sizes. Victoria lost her appeal, failing to understand the \u201cnew sexy.\u201d More than that, she stumbled into a series of scandals.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/091119-savage-fenty-sale-1568224848-1-1024x512.png\")
Savage x Fenty model diversity<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe first came in 2011, when it was discovered that 13-year-old Clarisse Kambire was picking cotton in West Africa, sleeping on a plastic mud mat, threatened with violence, and subject to other horrible conditions. A detailed Bloomberg report<\/a> found that this girl and her cotton eventually became Victoria\u2019s Secret products. L Brands quickly released their Modern Slavery Transparency Statement<\/a> to comit to ensuring that no forced or child labor is used during the creation of their products. This statement is still linked on the bottom of the Victoria\u2019s Secret website. People were not pleased with this news, and it became a bit of a nightmare for L Brands. This constitutes scandal number 1.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nScandal number 2? Victoria\u2019s Secret\u2019s unfortunate ties to Jeffery Epstein. Over a decade ago, Les Wexner considered Epstein \u201ca most loyal friend\u201d with \u201cexcellent judgment and unusually high standards.\u201d Somehow, Epstein was placed in charge of all of Wexner\u2019s finances and became very close to the Victoria\u2019s Secret brand. The New York Times<\/a> reported that Alicia Arden, a Californian model in 1997, was invited by a \u201cscout\u201d to a Santa Monica hotel room to audition for a Victoria\u2019s Secret catalog. When she arrived, this \u201cscout\u201d tried to grab her and undress her, causing her to cry and flee. This man was Jefferey Epstein, and the New York Times claims that Wexner was alerted of Epstein\u2019s recruiting rouse by two executives. Another incident involved Maria Farmer, an artist working in Les Wexner\u2019s mansion. While she was there, she claims that she was sexually assaulted by Epstein. She fled and attempted to contact the authorities, but the Wexner staff refused to let her leave for 12 hours. With both of these incidents, it is assumed that Les Wexner supposedly protected Epstein\u2019s reputation. Whatever the truth may be, any connection to Epstein is a detrimental one.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/AR-302069373-1024x592.jpg\")
Les Wexner’s Ohio Mansion<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThen came Ed Razek\u2019s big mouth. In a Vogue interview<\/a> in 2018, Razek began to spiral into a defensive tornado. He went spoke about diversity and the criticism he receives every year around the time of for the VS Fashion Show. He claimed that they \u201cattempted to do a television special for plus-sizes [in 2000]. No one had any interest in it, still don\u2019t.\u201d <\/em>In this rant, he concocted his own question, \u201cshouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show?\u201d He responded to himself by saying no, the show is a fantasy for women and an entertainment special.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/111918-ed-razek-victorias-secret-lead-767x1024.jpg\")
Ed Razek & Kelly Gale: Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nProblem number one, Razek referred to transgenders as transexuals. I wasn’t aware that this was problematic until I researched the term. Transgender youtuber, Gigi Gorgeous, posted an entire video<\/a> attacking Razek\u2019s statements, and Transgender model Carmen Carrera stated in an Instagram post<\/a>, \u201cI wish certain people would see beyond viewing me as just a \u201ctranssexual\u201d I am way more than that, @victoriassecret<\/a>. #EdRazek<\/a>.\u201d According to GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, \u201ctransexual\u201d can be very offensive. It is an incomplete, narrow, and dated term originated by the medical and psychological communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe other issue with Razek\u2019s statements is the implication that only the Victoria\u2019s Secret Angels are the \u201cideal woman\u201d or the \u201cfantasy\u201d that everyone should aspire to. This alienates plus size models, transgender models, and anyone else that doesnt fit the VS Angel measurements. The lingerie brand ThirdLove, known for its plus-sized inclusion, responded with a scathing open letter<\/a> to Victoria\u2019s Secret. Some of the comments in the letter include \u201cyour show may be a \u201cfantasy<\/em>\u201d but we live in reality,\u201d and \u201cplease stop insisting that inclusivity is a trend.\u201d The letter continued with an explanation that ThirdLove is the antithesis of Victoria\u2019s Secret, and stated \u201cYou may have been a woman\u2019s first love, but we will be her last.\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\nOne evening in 2017, my aunt told me that I should be a Victoria\u2019s Secret model. At that time, there was a website where you could upload your headshot and measurements. If you did not meet the body size requirements, you would not be considered. Roughly, the measurements were a fairly large bust size, small waist, and a height of at least 5\u20198. Today, I attempted to find this same casting site again, but it has since been taken down. It\u2019s clear that although Victoria\u2019s Secret sources models from all over the world, they all have exactly the same body size. This alienates the majority of the human population, including my 5\u20195 self. As we\u2019ve seen, Millennials and Gen Zers do not respond well to this \u201cone size fits all\u201d scenario. Brands like ThirdLove, Savage x Fenty, and Arie are taking Victoria\u2019s Secret\u2019s business because it resisted change for too long.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Victoria Tries to Catch Up<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raymond might have unknowingly sent a bat signal, because Les Wexner came to his rescue. The owner of L brands saw something in Victoria\u2019s Secret, so he acquired it for $1 million and completely rebranded. It became a bright, colorful, glamorous fantasy for women. Wexner created a 19th century English boudoir crowdsourced from every woman\u2019s imagination, and made it affordable for all kinds of shoppers.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From there, it was only uphill. The famous fashion show began in 1995, and when it aired online in 1999, its 1.5 million viewers crashed the site. Body by Victoria, the comfort bra line, made the brand the ultimate lingerie destination. In 1997, the term \u201cAngels\u201d became synonymous with the Victoria\u2019s Secret when Helena Christensen and Tyra Banks modeled the \u201cAngel\u2019s Underwear Collection\u201d in a TV advertisement. These models, along with Gisele B\u00fcndchen, Adriana Lima, and so many others can thank Victoria\u2019s Secret for their claim to fame.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With such a successful brand complete with it\u2019s own celebrities and experiences, why not start PINK, a location for the teenage audiences. Victoria\u2019s Secret and L Brands was taking the world by storm. Until they weren\u2019t. For some angels, it\u2019s difficult to maintain the rouse of perfection, but it\u2019s almost as if Victoria didn\u2019t even try. Honey, did it hurt when you fell from heaven?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Victoria\u2019s Secret is Out, and it\u2019s Not So Sexy<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\nVictoria’s Secret Sport<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat exactly lead to the Lingerie giant\u2019s downfall? The answer is a collection of very, very bad occurrences. First, the brand failed to capitalize on the bralette and athleisure trend. By the time they came out with their line of sports bras, leggings, and other sporty wear, it was too late. When Victoria wasn\u2019t looking, Lululemon and Nike stole her thunder. It happened again with the body positivity movement. Women began looking for comfortable, natural looks. The hot pink lace just wasn\u2019t working anymore, but Victoria was too high on life (or profits, rather) to notice. Enter: Arie, Savage x Fenty, and the other brands who welcomed an army of women representing all shapes and sizes. Victoria lost her appeal, failing to understand the \u201cnew sexy.\u201d More than that, she stumbled into a series of scandals.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nSavage x Fenty model diversity<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe first came in 2011, when it was discovered that 13-year-old Clarisse Kambire was picking cotton in West Africa, sleeping on a plastic mud mat, threatened with violence, and subject to other horrible conditions. A detailed Bloomberg report<\/a> found that this girl and her cotton eventually became Victoria\u2019s Secret products. L Brands quickly released their Modern Slavery Transparency Statement<\/a> to comit to ensuring that no forced or child labor is used during the creation of their products. This statement is still linked on the bottom of the Victoria\u2019s Secret website. People were not pleased with this news, and it became a bit of a nightmare for L Brands. This constitutes scandal number 1.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nScandal number 2? Victoria\u2019s Secret\u2019s unfortunate ties to Jeffery Epstein. Over a decade ago, Les Wexner considered Epstein \u201ca most loyal friend\u201d with \u201cexcellent judgment and unusually high standards.\u201d Somehow, Epstein was placed in charge of all of Wexner\u2019s finances and became very close to the Victoria\u2019s Secret brand. The New York Times<\/a> reported that Alicia Arden, a Californian model in 1997, was invited by a \u201cscout\u201d to a Santa Monica hotel room to audition for a Victoria\u2019s Secret catalog. When she arrived, this \u201cscout\u201d tried to grab her and undress her, causing her to cry and flee. This man was Jefferey Epstein, and the New York Times claims that Wexner was alerted of Epstein\u2019s recruiting rouse by two executives. Another incident involved Maria Farmer, an artist working in Les Wexner\u2019s mansion. While she was there, she claims that she was sexually assaulted by Epstein. She fled and attempted to contact the authorities, but the Wexner staff refused to let her leave for 12 hours. With both of these incidents, it is assumed that Les Wexner supposedly protected Epstein\u2019s reputation. Whatever the truth may be, any connection to Epstein is a detrimental one.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nLes Wexner’s Ohio Mansion<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThen came Ed Razek\u2019s big mouth. In a Vogue interview<\/a> in 2018, Razek began to spiral into a defensive tornado. He went spoke about diversity and the criticism he receives every year around the time of for the VS Fashion Show. He claimed that they \u201cattempted to do a television special for plus-sizes [in 2000]. No one had any interest in it, still don\u2019t.\u201d <\/em>In this rant, he concocted his own question, \u201cshouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show?\u201d He responded to himself by saying no, the show is a fantasy for women and an entertainment special.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nEd Razek & Kelly Gale: Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nProblem number one, Razek referred to transgenders as transexuals. I wasn’t aware that this was problematic until I researched the term. Transgender youtuber, Gigi Gorgeous, posted an entire video<\/a> attacking Razek\u2019s statements, and Transgender model Carmen Carrera stated in an Instagram post<\/a>, \u201cI wish certain people would see beyond viewing me as just a \u201ctranssexual\u201d I am way more than that, @victoriassecret<\/a>. #EdRazek<\/a>.\u201d According to GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, \u201ctransexual\u201d can be very offensive. It is an incomplete, narrow, and dated term originated by the medical and psychological communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe other issue with Razek\u2019s statements is the implication that only the Victoria\u2019s Secret Angels are the \u201cideal woman\u201d or the \u201cfantasy\u201d that everyone should aspire to. This alienates plus size models, transgender models, and anyone else that doesnt fit the VS Angel measurements. The lingerie brand ThirdLove, known for its plus-sized inclusion, responded with a scathing open letter<\/a> to Victoria\u2019s Secret. Some of the comments in the letter include \u201cyour show may be a \u201cfantasy<\/em>\u201d but we live in reality,\u201d and \u201cplease stop insisting that inclusivity is a trend.\u201d The letter continued with an explanation that ThirdLove is the antithesis of Victoria\u2019s Secret, and stated \u201cYou may have been a woman\u2019s first love, but we will be her last.\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\nOne evening in 2017, my aunt told me that I should be a Victoria\u2019s Secret model. At that time, there was a website where you could upload your headshot and measurements. If you did not meet the body size requirements, you would not be considered. Roughly, the measurements were a fairly large bust size, small waist, and a height of at least 5\u20198. Today, I attempted to find this same casting site again, but it has since been taken down. It\u2019s clear that although Victoria\u2019s Secret sources models from all over the world, they all have exactly the same body size. This alienates the majority of the human population, including my 5\u20195 self. As we\u2019ve seen, Millennials and Gen Zers do not respond well to this \u201cone size fits all\u201d scenario. Brands like ThirdLove, Savage x Fenty, and Arie are taking Victoria\u2019s Secret\u2019s business because it resisted change for too long.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Victoria Tries to Catch Up<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What exactly lead to the Lingerie giant\u2019s downfall? The answer is a collection of very, very bad occurrences. First, the brand failed to capitalize on the bralette and athleisure trend. By the time they came out with their line of sports bras, leggings, and other sporty wear, it was too late. When Victoria wasn\u2019t looking, Lululemon and Nike stole her thunder. It happened again with the body positivity movement. Women began looking for comfortable, natural looks. The hot pink lace just wasn\u2019t working anymore, but Victoria was too high on life (or profits, rather) to notice. Enter: Arie, Savage x Fenty, and the other brands who welcomed an army of women representing all shapes and sizes. Victoria lost her appeal, failing to understand the \u201cnew sexy.\u201d More than that, she stumbled into a series of scandals. The first came in 2011, when it was discovered that 13-year-old Clarisse Kambire was picking cotton in West Africa, sleeping on a plastic mud mat, threatened with violence, and subject to other horrible conditions. A detailed Bloomberg report<\/a> found that this girl and her cotton eventually became Victoria\u2019s Secret products. L Brands quickly released their Modern Slavery Transparency Statement<\/a> to comit to ensuring that no forced or child labor is used during the creation of their products. This statement is still linked on the bottom of the Victoria\u2019s Secret website. People were not pleased with this news, and it became a bit of a nightmare for L Brands. This constitutes scandal number 1. Scandal number 2? Victoria\u2019s Secret\u2019s unfortunate ties to Jeffery Epstein. Over a decade ago, Les Wexner considered Epstein \u201ca most loyal friend\u201d with \u201cexcellent judgment and unusually high standards.\u201d Somehow, Epstein was placed in charge of all of Wexner\u2019s finances and became very close to the Victoria\u2019s Secret brand. The New York Times<\/a> reported that Alicia Arden, a Californian model in 1997, was invited by a \u201cscout\u201d to a Santa Monica hotel room to audition for a Victoria\u2019s Secret catalog. When she arrived, this \u201cscout\u201d tried to grab her and undress her, causing her to cry and flee. This man was Jefferey Epstein, and the New York Times claims that Wexner was alerted of Epstein\u2019s recruiting rouse by two executives. Another incident involved Maria Farmer, an artist working in Les Wexner\u2019s mansion. While she was there, she claims that she was sexually assaulted by Epstein. She fled and attempted to contact the authorities, but the Wexner staff refused to let her leave for 12 hours. With both of these incidents, it is assumed that Les Wexner supposedly protected Epstein\u2019s reputation. Whatever the truth may be, any connection to Epstein is a detrimental one. Then came Ed Razek\u2019s big mouth. In a Vogue interview<\/a> in 2018, Razek began to spiral into a defensive tornado. He went spoke about diversity and the criticism he receives every year around the time of for the VS Fashion Show. He claimed that they \u201cattempted to do a television special for plus-sizes [in 2000]. No one had any interest in it, still don\u2019t.\u201d <\/em>In this rant, he concocted his own question, \u201cshouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show?\u201d He responded to himself by saying no, the show is a fantasy for women and an entertainment special. Problem number one, Razek referred to transgenders as transexuals. I wasn’t aware that this was problematic until I researched the term. Transgender youtuber, Gigi Gorgeous, posted an entire video<\/a> attacking Razek\u2019s statements, and Transgender model Carmen Carrera stated in an Instagram post<\/a>, \u201cI wish certain people would see beyond viewing me as just a \u201ctranssexual\u201d I am way more than that, @victoriassecret<\/a>. #EdRazek<\/a>.\u201d According to GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, \u201ctransexual\u201d can be very offensive. It is an incomplete, narrow, and dated term originated by the medical and psychological communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The other issue with Razek\u2019s statements is the implication that only the Victoria\u2019s Secret Angels are the \u201cideal woman\u201d or the \u201cfantasy\u201d that everyone should aspire to. This alienates plus size models, transgender models, and anyone else that doesnt fit the VS Angel measurements. The lingerie brand ThirdLove, known for its plus-sized inclusion, responded with a scathing open letter<\/a> to Victoria\u2019s Secret. Some of the comments in the letter include \u201cyour show may be a \u201cfantasy<\/em>\u201d but we live in reality,\u201d and \u201cplease stop insisting that inclusivity is a trend.\u201d The letter continued with an explanation that ThirdLove is the antithesis of Victoria\u2019s Secret, and stated \u201cYou may have been a woman\u2019s first love, but we will be her last.\u201d One evening in 2017, my aunt told me that I should be a Victoria\u2019s Secret model. At that time, there was a website where you could upload your headshot and measurements. If you did not meet the body size requirements, you would not be considered. Roughly, the measurements were a fairly large bust size, small waist, and a height of at least 5\u20198. Today, I attempted to find this same casting site again, but it has since been taken down. It\u2019s clear that although Victoria\u2019s Secret sources models from all over the world, they all have exactly the same body size. This alienates the majority of the human population, including my 5\u20195 self. As we\u2019ve seen, Millennials and Gen Zers do not respond well to this \u201cone size fits all\u201d scenario. Brands like ThirdLove, Savage x Fenty, and Arie are taking Victoria\u2019s Secret\u2019s business because it resisted change for too long.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nVictoria Tries to Catch Up<\/strong>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/Screen-Shot-2019-12-09-at-5.41.47-PM-1024x853.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/j469.ascjclass.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2019\/12\/valentina-sampaio2-1565787907-1024x514.jpg\")