You’ve seen their sizzling and phenomenal runway shows, but how much do you know about the queen of lingerie, Victoria Secret? We’ve all seen the fashion shows, admired the Victoria’s Secret Angels, and probably have the few VS products stashed away in our dresser drawers.
While Victoria’s Secret might be a well-known store, it’s also an example of a successful business that provides people with high-quality necessities. We may also call it a fashion hub, at least in the world of stylish lingerie. The success and evergrowing popularity of Victoria’s Secret make us curious to know more about its background, so let’s dive into those details now:
The Digital Bra
Yes, folks! The “Incredible by Victoria’s Secret” is a sports bra equipped with a heart rate sensor which can work compatible with most heart rate monitors in the market. This puts Victoria Secret at the forefront of the digital bra technology. You can purchase these bras at $70 per piece.
Such technology is a very positive step towards making us safer and more in tune with our health. These sensors might be able to save the lives of people with cardiovascular issues or even help doctors diagnose the issues in the first place.
There Was No Victoria
Do you ever wonder who the “Victoria” is in Victoria’s Secret? Actually, it’s no one. The company’s founder Roy Raymond thought the name evokes the store’s stylish, English-inspired interiors… like the posh, luxurious, Victorian kind of chic.
A Less Embarrassing Experience
Roy Raymond came up with the idea of Victoria’s Secret after feeling embarrassed while trying to buy lingerie for his wife inside a public department store. The opening of the first VS store was a huge step forward in the history of the brassiere.
Eventually, he opened the first Victoria’s Secret store on June 12, 1977
Fake Headquarters
We might never have thought that faking the address of your company’s headquarters is a legit business practice! Anyway, to bolster the company’s English image, Raymond listed a fake 19th-century-style London address to his company’s actual headquarters in Columbus, Ohio. This was “No. 10 Margaret Street, London.”
The Owner of the Company
Victoria’s Secret is now under L Brands, a company founded and owned by business legend Leslie Wexner. He bought the Victoria’s Secret chain for $1 million in 1982 (that was some big money at that time).
Apart from Victoria’s Secret, L Brands also owns Bath & Body Works, La Senza, and Pink, among several other companies. Under Wexner’s direction, L Brands earned a whopping $11.45 billion in 2014. The media-shy Wexner himself is worth $7 billion, making him one of the richest men in the world.
Million Dollar Assets
Many famous Victoria Secret models have worn ridiculously extravagant bras. This trend started all the way in 1996 when supermodel Claudia Schiffer wore a jewelry-studded bra worth $1 million. Since then, the values of these expensive undergarments have skyrocketed to new heights every year.
According to reports, supermodels Gisele Bundchen and Heidi Klum have worn the most expensive Victoria’s Secret bras (both of the bras they wore were valued at $12.5 million).
A Career Maker
Over the years, Victoria’s Secret has launched several models who became stars in their own right. In 2014, Forbes listed the highest-paying supermodels. The top earners included Gisele Bundchen, Adriana Lima, and Doutzen Kroes.
Victoria’s Secret Angels
There are Victoria’s Secret Angels from every continent, with the exception of Antarctica. Many of the first Angels were renowned models even before joining the lingerie brand.
Market Domination
In the underwear and lingerie business, no other company comes close to Victoria’s Secret’s success. It grabs about 40% of the lingerie market share and runs over a thousand stores in the United States alone.
Capturing the Overseas Market
Apart from being a success in the United States, Victoria’s Secret continues to expand in many countries. Most of these are franchise outlets.
A Target for Shoplifters
Petty thieves and large-scale shoplifters often try their luck in Victoria’s Secret stores. From 2007 to 2014, shoplifters took away almost $20,000 worth of goods at a Fairfield, Connecticut store. This is both because of the value of the products and the popularity of these goods.
Higher Charges for Larger Sizes
If you have particularly big “assets” and plan to buy a large cup size at Victoria’s Secret, you have to pay more than other women who fit into the standard A through D sizes. Many criticize Victoria’s Secret for this practice.
Learning More Details
A brand like Victoria’s Secret obviously has a very rich story behind it. We’ve only scraped the tip of the iceberg so far. A reference book with some more details on the subject might be of use. For this purpose, you might want to consider the title “Backstage Secrets: A Decade Behind the Scenes of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show”. Check it out here:
This work is authored by Russell James, with several contributors adding their knowledge to the pages. As the Victoria’s Secret fashion show is the most-watched event of this sector all over the globe, many people will be interested in this insightful read. Russell James himself has been a photographer at several such events. His involvement gives him a special connection with the world of fashion and VS in particular.
With this book on your bedside table, coffee table, or reading corner, you’ll be able to delve into the Victoria’s Secret backstage, even going to places where the cameras aren’t allowed. There would also be candid snippets from some of your favorite models, including Miranda Kerr, Gigi Hadid, and Lily Aldrige. Also included are musicians like Katy Perry, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, etc. Anyone who loved the Victoria’ Secret brand and its myriad offerings will surely love a gift like this work (in addition to the products, of course!).
Conclusion
While Victoria’s Secret might be a household name, there’s still a lot we might not know about this business and the people involved in its running. There’s still a lot of information out there, so read up in order to become more familiar with this important aspect of fashion.
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