Hey Victoria’s Secret, Your Time is Up!
In the last several years, I have interviewed three Victoria’s Secret angels for FashionFiles — Alessandra Ambrosio, Elsa Hosk, and most recently, Martha Hunt. In all three interviews, I have asked each model how they prepare for the VS show, and their answers have echoed similar sentiments: a rigorous exercise regime, specific nutrition, but also how doing the show made them feel ‘successful,’ ‘powerful,’ ’empowered,’ ‘strong.’ And that’s great for them, and also true, because for the longest time a model’s worth was based on whether or not she made it on the Victoria’s Secret show. (Just watch the reality show Model Squad)
But how does the show — and Victoria’s Secret in general — make us, regular women feel? Women who have busy schedules and no time or money for rigorous exercise and special nutrition. What about plus-size women? How about transgender women?
I am one of those regular women, and every time I watch the glam VS fashion show, my self-esteem takes a beating and leaves me in the self-doubt gutter trying to answer questions like: Why am I not that pretty? Why am I not skinny enough? How do I get rid of my cellulite? Why is my hair not as voluminous as Elsa’s?
Same? Well, we asked you on Instagram stories, and here are the results:
Well, luckily for all of us, the top echelons of Victoria’s Secret don’t seem to feel out pain. During a recent interview about whether the brand was putting more emphasis on diversity and inclusion, Ed Razek, Victoria’s Secret Chief Marketing Officer had commented that the annual Victoria’s Secret shows are a “fantasy” and therefore should not include trans or plus-size models. [sce emoji=”wonder”/]
Just to give you a brief 411 on Rezek: He is 70 and is part of the casting team that chooses the models for each show. He gave the most out-of-touch answers in the above-mentioned interview, calling those who want more diversity and inclusion “haters”, and describing trans models as “transexuals.” He also accused Rihanna of stealing the whole pregnant model on the runway from Victoria’s Secret, although, newsflash dude: there’s a huge difference between a 9-month-pregnant Slick Woods in her lingerie, and a barely-there pregnant Irina Shayk during the 2016 VS show with cleverly disguised bump. JS.
And then he said this:
I think we address the way the market is shifting on a constant basis. If you’re asking if we’ve considered putting a transgender model in the show or looked at putting a plus-size model in the show, we have. We invented the plus-size model show in what was our sister division, Lane Bryant. Lane Bryant still sells plus-size lingerie, but it sells a specific range, just like every specialty retailer in the world sells a range of clothing. As do we. We market to who we sell to, and we don’t market to the whole world.
And this:
So it’s like, why don’t you do 50? Why don’t you do 60? Why don’t you do 24? It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.
And I just cannot with him.
Can we all collectively just tell this man, and all the top dogs at VS: Hey Victoria’s Secret, your time is up!
Of course, after receiving huge backlash online, VS issued an apology.
Please read this important message from Ed Razek, Chief Marketing Officer, L Brands (parent company of Victoria’s Secret). pic.twitter.com/CW8BztmOaM
— Victoria's Secret (@VictoriasSecret) November 10, 2018
To that I say: LOL.
What do you guys think? Do you feel Victoria’s Secret should completely reconsider its branding, offerings and who they invite to walk the VS show? Chime in you feelings below!
