Victoria’s Secret transformation continues.
On Thursday, the Pink brand — part of the Victoria’s Secret & Co. portfolio — introduced plus-size TikTok star Remi Bader as its latest brand ambassador and size consultant, as the innerwear, swimwear and loungewear brand begins to roll out larger sizes.
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“Welove how Remi uses her platform to push the boundaries and make real change,” said Amy Hauk, chief executive officer of Victoria’s Secret Pink. “We’re always striving to improve as a brand and ensure our customers feel empowered and confident in our products. We also admire how she’s real about all aspects of being an influencer and how she’s been so open about her own mental health journey.”
The partnership begins with the inclusion of additional, larger sizes in Pink’s swimwear category, for the first time up to a size XXL, followed by expanded sizes, up to XXL, in intimates and apparel across all stores next month. Previously, larger sizes were only available online. In addition, Pink’s Wear Everywhere bras now available in 33 sizes, from 30AA to 40DDD.
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“What intrigued me so much about this partnership — besides the fact that I grew up wearing Pink — is the brand’s openness for my honesty and desire to see change,” Bader said. “Pink has made a lot of strides over the years to be more inclusive and focus on mental health and I’m really honored to work with the team to help young adults embrace their bodies and be an honest voice for the amazing community I’ve built.”
As an ambassador, Bader will be involved in various Pink events during the yearlong partnership, as well as launch a curated selection of her favorite Pink styles. The brand added that Bader will also provide insight and help with product testing among its plus-size customer base. In addition, the social media star — who has also worked with intimates brand Aerie and has nearly 2.5 million followers combined across TikTok and Instagram — will serve as a judge on the annual Pink With Purpose panel, which awards financial assistance to young women and men to help them make positive changes within their communities.
Victoria’s Secret — parent company to the Victoria’s Secret Lingerie, Beauty and Pink brands — has been deep in transformation mode since 2018, a year after revenues began declining, thanks to changing consumer preferences and the #MeToo Movement, which sparked backlash over Victoria’s Secret’s unattainable beauty standards.
After the deal to sell a majority stake of the Victoria’s Secret’s leg of the business (then part of what was then L Brands) to private equity firm Sycamore Partners fell through in early 2020, the retailer spun off the lingerie and beauty businesses as its own company on the public market last August.
Since then, the company has hiredplus-size and transgender models, including most recently Emira D’Spain, the first Black transgender woman to rep the brand; updated its C-suite and board; optimized its retail fleet by closing unprofitable locations for more lucrative markets, such as India and Israel, and unveiling new store formats; and updated the assortment with the addition of things like mastectomy bras.
Victoria’s Secret also launched the VS Collective in summer 2021.
The initiative includes a group of women from diverse backgrounds — such as Eileen Gu, Megan Rapinoe, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Bella Hadid, Paloma Elsesser, Valentina Sampaio, Hailey Bieber and tennis champion Naomi Osaka, among others — who will share their stories by way of collaborations, partnerships and social media.
Most recently, Victoria’s Secret hired SofíaJirau, the retailer’s first model with Down Syndrome, as part of the lingerie brand’s Love Cloud collection of bras and underwear.
“I am the first Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome,” Jirau wrote in an Instagram post in Spanish earlier this month.
The collection, which launched on Valentine’s Day, features 18 women from various backgrounds, age groups and with differing body types.
The company said the campaign reinforces its “commitment to welcoming and celebrating all women.”
“I have a bold ambition that Victoria’s [Secret] should be the world’s biggest and best advocate for women,” Victoria’s Secret Lingerie chief executive officer Martin Waters has said. “And that’s an incredibly powerful vision and mission for us to aim toward and it’s energizing for all of our people. And it does reflect a very significant turnaround from where we’ve been, where we’re moving from what men want to what women want. We’re moving from sexy for a few to sexy for all. We’re moving from a look to a feeling. It’s about including most women rather than excluding most women and being grounded in real life rather than mostly unattainable.”
As an expert in the fashion and retail industry, particularly with a focus on inclusivity and diversity, I can provide a comprehensive analysis of the recent developments at Victoria's Secret, specifically regarding the transformation of its Pink brand and the introduction of plus-size TikTok star Remi Bader as a brand ambassador and size consultant.
1. Inclusivity and Diversity in the Fashion Industry: Victoria's Secret has been undergoing a transformation since 2018 to address changing consumer preferences and criticisms related to unattainable beauty standards. The #MeToo Movement played a significant role in sparking backlash against Victoria's Secret, prompting the company to reevaluate its approach and make strides toward inclusivity.
2. Introduction of Remi Bader as Brand Ambassador: Remi Bader, a plus-size TikTok star with a considerable following, has been introduced as the latest brand ambassador and size consultant for Victoria's Secret Pink. This move is part of the brand's commitment to inclusivity and empowerment. Bader's role involves not only representing the brand but also providing insights and assistance in product testing for the plus-size customer base.
3. Expansion of Size Range: Victoria's Secret Pink is expanding its size range to be more inclusive. The swimwear category will now offer sizes up to XXL, with plans to extend larger sizes in intimates and apparel across all stores. This marks a departure from the previous practice of offering larger sizes exclusively online.
4. Changes in Product Offerings: Pink’s Wear Everywhere bras are now available in 33 sizes, ranging from 30AA to 40DDD, reflecting a broader range to cater to diverse body types.
5. Company-Wide Transformation: Victoria's Secret, as a whole, has been actively working on transforming its image. This includes hiring plus-size and transgender models, optimizing its retail locations, updating the assortment with inclusive options like mastectomy bras, and launching initiatives such as the VS Collective.
6. The VS Collective Initiative: The VS Collective is an initiative featuring women from diverse backgrounds, including athletes, models, and activists, who collaborate with Victoria's Secret to share their stories through partnerships and social media. This initiative aligns with the brand's commitment to inclusivity.
7. Emphasis on Realism and Inclusivity: Victoria's Secret Lingerie CEO Martin Waters emphasizes a shift from catering to what men want to understanding and meeting the desires of women. The brand aims to be more inclusive by moving from a focus on a specific look to promoting a feeling that resonates with a broader audience.
8. Recent Model Additions: The brand has recently hired models such as Sofía Jirau, the first Victoria's Secret model with Down Syndrome, reinforcing the commitment to celebrating women of all backgrounds, ages, and body types.
In conclusion, Victoria's Secret's strategic initiatives, such as partnering with Remi Bader, expanding size ranges, and embracing diversity in its models, signify a commitment to transforming its brand image and becoming more inclusive in response to evolving consumer expectations and societal changes.
