Over the past few years, Victoria’s Secret has been heavily criticized for not being inclusive and pushing unrealistic beauty standards. The brand also called off its annual fashion show in 2019 and hired trans model Valentina Sampaio and curve model Ali Tate Cutler to repair its image.
To make things right this time, the brand has replaced the VS Angels with new brand ambassadors called the VS Collective. Finally saying goodbye to the Angels, they’ll be replaced with a new group of women icons, including, former Miss World, actress and entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra, soccer star and LGBTQIA+ supporter Megan Rapinoe, world champion skier Eileen Gu, journalist and advocate Amanda De Cadenet, South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech Bior, plus-size supermodel Paloma Elsesser and Victoria's Secret's first openly transgender model Valentina Sampaio.
The new portfolio includes a diverse mix of inspiring and empowering mental health, body positivity and LGBTQIA+ advocates. These new founding members of the VS Collective also had something special to share along with the announcement –
Adut Akech said, “Being part of the VS Collective marks such a special moment, and I feel blessed to be part of a group that celebrates and empowers individuality.”
Amanda de Cadenet believes that true change comes from the inside out and that a group of aligned people can shift culture. She also said, “I welcome the opportunity to be a part of this incredible collective of women, and to utilize my creative and professional abilities to prioritize authentic representation of women and support the VS senior leadership in their mission to drive systemic change.”
Eileen Gu felt honored to be a part of such an inspiring group of women and to work with a brand that is looking to break boundaries and use their platform to uplift, champion, and advocate for women across the world. “Working with the VS Collective, I hope to unite and inspire by sharing my story and experiences. I am so privileged to be part of the change and to have this opportunity!” she added.
“So often I felt myself on the outside looking in with brands in the beauty and fashion industry and I’m thrilled to be creating a space that sees the true spectrum of ALL women,” wrote Megan Rapinoe. She also mentioned that VS was previously “patriarchal, sexist, viewing not just what it meant to be sexy but what the clothes trying to accomplish through a male lens and thought what men desired,” but she’s been convinced it wants to change.
While Paloma was “beyond excited to partner with Victoria’s Secret in this capacity and support our collective mission to embrace and celebrate the vastness and beauty of womanhood,” Miss World 2000 Priyanka Chopra was “most excited for new customers, and for those who have always been a customer of Victoria’s Secret, to feel represented and like they belong.”
Representing the queer community, Valentina Sampaio expressed that, “As a powerful global platform, Victoria’s Secret is committed to opening these doors for trans women like me, by celebrating, uplifting, and advocating for ALL women.”
The brand is now aiming at redefining the version of ‘sexy’ that it has represented to the masses so far. Victoria’s Secret is pursuing one of the biggest brand turnarounds in recent times. “When the world was changing, we were too slow to respond. We need to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want,” said Martin Waters, VS new CEO.