Victoria's Secret Hires Megan Rapinoe and Priyanka Chopra Jonas To Save the Brand?
Victoria's Secret is undergoing a rebranding. This has become more obvious as it signed soccer World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe and actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
According to Page Six, these moves are in a desperate bid to rebuild its brand and appeal to a wider market. It no longer wants to limit itself to selling sexy lingerie, catering to just one or two consumer tastes and preferences.
An insider told Page Six that the lingerie giant saw a need to move away from its traditionally rail-thin models so that it can attain more sales and continue its relevance. It is doing so by introducing The VS Collective with diverse "leading icons" and "changemakers," such as Jonas and Rapinoe - to "shape the future of the brand."
Chopra and Rapinoe To Walk in Famous VS Underwear?
Fans of Chopra and Rapinoe should not expect the two to troop down an aisle wearing angel wings and strutting their stuff, though. While those will be naturally welcome for their fans, this is exactly what VS wanted to avoid - being stuck in a particular image or market.
Not to mention, Rapinoe is a staunch fighter for women's rights - specifically women's equal pay in the soccer world. Posing in the firm's famously flimsy, barely-there briefs and working the ramp will seriously be questionable for Rapinoe.
Instead, Page Six learned that both are being hired as spokeswomen and will appear on a podcast soon. They, too, will be included in various marketing materials designed for the recovering brand.
They are not the firsts hired for the purpose of expanding VS' market, though. They will join several who have been chosen not just because of their looks but for what they stand for.
VS Swaps Sexy Image for Female Empowerment
There is the Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech. VS also hired freestyle skier Eileen Gu, Brazilian transgender model Valentina Sampaio, and the plus-size model Paloma Elesser. The journalist Amanda de Cadenet is also hired for this rebrand, who will also be responsible for hosting a 10-episode podcast to share their individual stories.
"It's a group of women inspiring change and positivity. It's another step they're taking towards transforming the brand. The entire industry thought Victoria Secret was done," an insider said.
It remains to be seen if Victoria's Secret can truly rebrand itself with this move.
"[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," one source said.
Victoria's Secret reportedly is trying its best to be unstuck in an era that has long gone in order to stay afloat.
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