Maybe it was the lusty mannequins in its stores, the massage oil on its shelves or the overabundance of cleavage on the glittery runway of its annual TV fashion show. But yesterday, Victoria’s Secret chief executive Sharen J. Turney acknowledged that the chain had gotten “too sexy.”
Is such a thing even possible?
Yeah, it is. When I was running one of our stores in a mall, there was Victoria’s Secret right in the middle. While I could care less, oh, hell, I enjoyed walking by and seeing the sexy stuff, I’ll admit it, is it appropriate for children to have this adult material shoved in their faces? No.
“We have moved off of our brand heritage,” she said in a conference call with analysts. “We use the word ‘sexy’ a lot and really have forgotten the ultra-feminine.”
Victoria’s Secret has long toed the line between seductive and sleazy, and its recent disappointing financial performance suggested that it had veered off course.
When you are walking by, and there is a poster of one of their models basically being covered by their hair, yeah, sleazy. When every child walking through can see merchandise that is meant to pretty much be seen only in the bedroom, yeah, sleezy.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy women wearing many of the products they offer – though I don’t get that whole “Pink” thing – but, there is a time and place for everything. Where everyone can see it in the mall? Wrong place.
Part of the problem for VS is they’ve lost a huge base of customers: Women who are over 30…some of us have been buying from then for yrs- but in the past couple yrs the product isn’t marketed towards **US**…whereas it used to be. I don’t buy my thongs (lol) and bras from VS anymore- I’ve gone to a private label that markets towards women like me…40 something, in excellent shape (better than the VS models!!) and who have good taste and expect a quality product minus the sex sells portion. We already know sex sells.
I used to be one of their best customers,I swear…even my college aged daughters refuse to purchase their stuff anymore. The whole “Pink” line turned them right off. It’s about being a pink girl- one who puts out often while partying at college.
The VS name is no longer associated with GOOD TASTE.
SLEAZE, yes.
SLUTTY. YES.
PROMISCUOUS. YES.
Refined? No.
Tasteful? No.
Sexy? Maybe…but some of us define that differently than VS. They used to use relatively unknown models with average bodies…busty perhaps but nothing more. Now it’s all famous anorexic skinny girls who don’t represent the real girls and women of the world.
If they drop the sleaze factor I’ll go back to them.
And they need to go back to the quality too- their products don’t last nearly as long; are made cheaply now, cost more…
I meant to say that we already know sex sells but aren’t trying to sell it or ourselves.
Love purchasing Frau Vader’s lingerie from Germany and France. The quality is fantastic and the cost is 40%-50% LESS than VC. The sizes in Europe are BIGGER too and not just for walking annorexic skeletons that weigh 100 pounds.
LOL–well I haven’t seen German/French underlings but I do have a private label right here in the US. I shop at a local Macy’s for these products now- and the quality is very high. The underlings are very sexy. HAWT. And made for ALL women of ALL sizes and AGES…
I used to think **I had outgrown** the VS products…but when I consider that I bought their stuff when I was in my thirties and even when I turned 40, NO, I have not outgrown VS…they have ditched me, as a customer. Women my age have the most money to spend; are in better health generally and are secure in their being- we’re not trying to sell ourselves with sexy stuff…we’re proud and confident our ability to…well…attract the guys. We don’t want overly slutty and non functional underlings. We want tasteful, subdued, refined and functionable…AND SEXY.
Excellent points, Raven. Tasteful, refined, and sexy. Right now, they are pretty sleazy.
The VC here in this pathetic blue state is a joke – If you’re less than 120 pounds they can outfit your loved one! Soon VC will be marketing BURKAS from the Eurabian Union!
When I walk by one, I feel like I am walking by a Frederick’s of Hollywood nowadays. I want to look, but, I feel a bit trashy.
Teach I wrote a much longer post on this at my site…explaining my views and why sales are down…at least why I think…and I’ve heard back from someone at VS.
NYLONS do keep ya warm up there in the cold weather months and ya $AVE on energy bills Raven… nevermore!