Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion in popular culture regarding why the notorious fashion brand Victoria’s Secret is no longer relevant. The catalyst was Jax’s 2022 song entitled “Victoria’s Secret,” where she sings, “I know Victoria’s Secret … / She’s an old man who lives in Ohio / Making money off of girls like me.” The song’s speedy rise to popularity via TikTok came around the same time as Hulu’s docuseries, “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons,” in which the seedy underbelly of the brand is exposed. The series delves into former L Brands CEO and founder Leslie Wexner’s misogynistic and malicious intentions.

In what appears to be a response to increased criticism, Victoria’s Secret launched a campaign in October called “Undefinable,” where the biggest names in modeling talked about their self-image. In the ad featuring Bella Hadid, which can be found on Victoria’s Secret’s Instagram, she states, “I was taught that sexy was about your body. The way that your boobs looked in a push-up bra.”

Why was Hadid taught this? Because Victoria’s Secret has propagated this narrative.

The rise of body positivity has changed the world for the better, with brands such as Aerie incorporating models of all body types and striving to promote self-love. Aerie’s chief creative officer, Jen Foyle, told Forbes that the brand is “anti-supermodel,” an obvious dig at their competitor, Victoria’s Secret. Surprisingly, even with the rise of body positive lingerie and clothing brands, Victoria’s Secret didn’t immediately change in order to keep up with the times. Instead, they continued promoting the unattainable image of the classic “VS Angels.”

The Victoria’s Secret fashion show, in which supermodels walk the runway in lingerie and angel wings alongside some of the biggest names in music, was canceled in 2019. Its parent company, L Brands, was quoted by Time Magazine as saying that the reason behind its sudden cancellation was due to the company wanting to “evolve [Victoria’s Secret’s] marketing.”

Women bashed the company for its annual fashion show, stating that it represented a misogynistic and unattainable standard.

It is vital to remember that the models’ careers depend on being in perfect shape, so exercising and eating right are part of the job description. Yet the average woman does not have the time or money to constantly exercise and eat perfectly balanced diets.

The angel image is unachievable, and it is being cast aside by other brands because when shopping, women want to see clothes presented on realistic bodies like their own. Not to mention, Victoria’s Secret catalogs and advertisements are all heavily photoshopped to get the models looking as close to “perfect” as possible.

As the company’s profits decreased, the brand finally decided to adapt to the body-positive movement by incorporating more diverse models.

Yet shoppers and critics alike were quick to pick up on their performative advertising. With their new “Undefinable” campaign, some spectators are being swayed to believe that Victoria’s Secret has always embraced and empowered women. On the contrary, until being urged to incorporate new models, L Brands was profiting off of the unrealistic depiction of women’s bodies. Past members of Victoria’s Secret’s marketing team referred to the fashion show as a fantasy, further proving the fact that this inconceivable standard for women is nothing more than an unrealistic goal.

Instead of profiting off of women’s bodies, Victoria’s Secret is now profiting off of a social movement and is using women’s empowerment for their own monetary benefit – despite the brand being one of the oldest displays of unrealistic beauty standards. One might conclude that the brand would still be advertising the same models that they always have, but that’s economically unfeasible in the modern world.

Hopefully brands continue to support female empowerment and body positivity, since women have been forced to endure unrealistic expectations for centuries. While it’s just a start, the fact that many brands are realizing what women want is the first step towards greater inclusivity. Victoria’s Secret is guilty of making so many women feel insecure, and the brand should not be praised for being forced to adapt.