Victoria’s Secret Says Goodbye to Its Angels

Victoria’s Secret is swapping fantasy for reality. The lingerie brand recently announced an initiative designed to shape the future of the brand through a new platform, The VS Collective. Put another way: The company is swapping its often-criticized VS Angels for more inclusive partners who better represent the modern-day women.

“These extraordinary partners, with their unique backgrounds, interests and passions will collaborate with us to create revolutionary product collections, compelling and inspiring content, new internal associate programs and rally support for causes vital to women,” the company shared in an Instagram post announcing the collective.

The founding members include soccer player and gender equity activist Megan Rapinoe, skier and soon-to-be Olympian Eileen Gu, actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Girl Gaze founder Amanda de Cadenet, and models Adut Akech Bior, Valentina Sampaio, and Paloma Elsesser. 

The diverse group of women is meant to lead the company’s pivot from its historically narrow definition of sexy. “It’s a group of women inspiring change and positivity,” a source tells Page Six about the rebrand. “It’s another step they’re taking towards transforming the brand. The entire industry thought Victoria Secret was done,” an insider said.

Another added, “[The Collective] is completely cause-driven…The idea is to create this community of outsiders looking in. It’s a new generation for the brand that is more about inclusivity. And they [Victoria’s Secret] needed it if they wanted to stay afloat. The brand was stuck in an era that never evolved. It’s a different world now.” 

Victoria’s Secret has faced backlash for sexual harassment amid a misogynistic corporate culture that focused entirely on the male gaze. “When the world was changing, we were too slow to respond,” Martin Waters, the chief executive of the brand, has said. “We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want.”