Some brands are like Teflon. No matter how many times they make a marketing misstep or otherwise alienate customers, controversy doesn’t stick and they seem to carry on.
Apple, Amazon, Lego, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola are just a few companies that have experienced their fair share of bad press or negative customer feedback, but today are doing just fine nonetheless.
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Another brand, one beloved by women everywhere, has also had its fair share of backlash in years past.
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Over the years, Victoria’s Secret, one of the most recognized brands in the world, has faced criticism for everything from a lack of inclusive sizing, to hyper-sexualized marketing, to accusations of bullying both employees and models.
More recently, Victoria’s Secret has made moves to repair some of the damage. The company has gone so far as to rebrand itself by featuring plus-size and transgender models in advertising and by vastly expanding its size offerings.
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While Victoria’s Secret tried to appeal to a broader audience in the last couple of years, the real competition for women’s hearts and wallets started in the late 2010s, when big-box stores like Target and Walmart upped the quality and variety of their bras and underwear and offered them to customers at better prices.
For example, Target sells a six-pack of its popular Auden brand of bikini underwear for $12. At Victoria’s Secret, a single pair of basic bikini underwear is $10.50 or a five-pack for $30.
Still, Victoria’s Secret has been working on a comeback, even resuming its popular runway fashion show in 2024, after a six-year absence.
Victoria’s Secret has expanded its product line to become more inclusive.
Source: Victoria’s Secret & Co./TS
Amid store closures, Victoria’s Secret predicts sustainable growth
Between 2020 and 2023, Victoria’s Secret closed more than 300 stores.
More closures are reportedly coming in 2025.
According to the retailer’s most recent financials, the company “estimates approximately 30-40 store closures in 2025, which will mostly be consolidations of co-located Victoria’s Secret and PINK stores.”
At the same time, the company plans to renovate about 45 stores.
During the company’s recent earnings call, CEO Hillary Super said, “I am pleased with the strength of our fourth quarter holiday results, which saw sales up in both our Victoria’s Secret and PINK brands and our powerhouse Beauty business.”
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She noted sales increased across most major merchandise categories, in stores and digital channels, and in the company’s North American and international businesses.
“As we look forward to 2025 and the future, we recognize there are near-term headwinds and ongoing uncertainty in the macro environment which we will manage aggressively while also working to build upon our solid foundation, realize the full potential of our brands and drive long-term, sustainable growth,” Super said.
Super took over the company in August 2024, and under her leadership, third-quarter sales rose by 6.5% to $1.3 billion from the previous year, representing the company’s highest quarterly growth in three years.
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