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Hey guys!

I mostly write about myself and my travels here, however, I have something to say about a real issue today. Shocking, I know. But the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is really bothering me.

Recently, the CMO at Victoria’s Secret said that plus size women and trans women are not a fantasy and that his show is a fantasy. This is completely unacceptable in today’s world. If Razek knew anything about fashion, as his show is meant to be, he would know that trans models took up 91 spots in the Spring 2019 season. Victoria’s Secret has never had a trans woman in their show or any of their ad campaigns.

Victoria’s Secret isn’t necessarily succeeding in their field either. Making errors as this have a ginormous backlash when it comes to business. As of June, the L Brands stock was down 40% for the year because people are looking to more body positive brands like Aerie or Savage X Fenty. L Brands, instead of casting plus size and transgender models, decided to butt Henri Bendel out. If L Brands has to drop one of their brands, odds are things are going pretty south for them.

Victoria’s Secret is not Chanel. They are not a desirable brand that people strive for. The primary people that buy Victoria’s Secret are middle schoolers who want to buy their first thong and have no idea where else they can buy underwear themselves. Therefore, it is very unhealthy that Victoria’s Secret only promotes one body type and one type of woman, primarily to young girls who are questioning everything about themselves and their appearance. If Victoria’s Secret wanted to be fashionable, they should take notes from fashion giants like Michael Kors and Prabal Gurung who included plus-size models in this past season. If it’s too over their head to pay attention to actual runway shows, then they could look at Vogue, which almost every person is aware of. Vogue Paris recently featured an 18-page spread on everyone’s favorite plus size model, Ashley Graham, who has historically given Victoria’s Secret grief about not promoting body positivity. Anna Wintour has also published covers with women of every shape, color, and size. It is fashionable to include ALL women. In high fashion, all women are becoming more and more represented every season. So why can’t an everyday brand such as Victoria’s Secret include a girl over a size 2 when the average American girl is a size 16/18?

It is because Victoria’s Secret wants you to feel uncomfortable and bad about yourself, your existence, and your body. Girls all over the world sat around their television and said things like “oh my God this makes me feel so fat” or “this is why we’re single” or “I seriously need to hit the gym”. You’re lying if you watched the show and did not say that, at least in your head. Victoria’s Secret wants you to feel horrible about yourself so you think Victoria’s Secret is for “hot girls”. They are banking on you wanting to be skinny and “hot” like these girls, so you ultimately buy their brand so you feel like these girls. Here’s a heads up Victoria’s Secret, WE DON’T WANT TO LOOK LIKE YOU! We want to be happy, healthy, smart, beautiful women, no matter our size, gender, color or anything else. That’s why we look at brands like Aerie because those girls look happy. Those girls look confident. Those girls look like the girls we want to be. They are not shameful of themselves, and neither are we.