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Last Updated:
2024-09-22 08:20:01

Victoria's Secret

American lingerie retailer founded in 1977.
American lingerie retailer founded in 1977.

Victoria's Secret, founded by Roy and Gaye Raymond, became the largest lingerie retailer in the US by the early 1990s. The brand expanded internationally in 2008, but faced decline in market share from 2016 due to competition and controversies.

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1977-06-12
Victoria's Secret Founded

Victoria's Secret was founded by Roy and Gaye Raymond on June 12, 1977. The first store opened in Palo Alto, California, aiming to provide a comfortable shopping experience for men buying lingerie.

1982-07
Acquisition of Victoria's Secret

In July 1982, under Leslie Wexner's leadership, Limited Brands acquired Victoria's Secret's six stores and its catalog for $1 million.

1983
Strategy Change under Leslie Wexner

In 1983, Leslie Wexner took over Victoria's Secret and shifted the focus to female buyers by introducing new colors, prints, and styles to make the lingerie more fancy and glamorous. This strategy change led to the brand's success and expansion into malls across the United States.

1984
Roy Raymond Found High-End Children's Retail Store

In 1984, Roy Raymond left Victoria's Secret and founded a high-end children's retail store and catalog. However, the venture failed within a couple of years, leading Raymond to file for bankruptcy.

1985
Howard Gross Becomes President

In 1985, Howard Gross became president of Victoria's Secret.

1986
Les Wexner's Connection with Jeffrey Epstein

Les Wexner, the founder of Victoria's Secret, reportedly had direct ties with American sex offender and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, whom he met around 1986. Wexner gave Epstein attorney powers and allowed him to stay in his property known as 'Wexner Xanadu' in Ohio.

1990
Sales Quadrupled

In 1990, analysts estimated that Victoria's Secret sales had quadrupled in four years, making it one of the fastest growing mail-order businesses.

1991
Quality Problems

In the early 1990s, Victoria's Secret experienced quality problems with their products and was working to resolve the issues.

1993
Roy Raymond Commits Suicide

In 1993, Roy Raymond tragically committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. This event marked a tragic end to the life of the former Victoria's Secret founder.

1995
Launch of Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

The iconic Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was launched in 1995 under the leadership of Bath & Body Works, Inc., becoming a cultural phenomenon and transforming the brand into a symbol of glamour and fashion.

1996-02-06
Victoria's Secret Spring Lingerie Collection in New York

Victoria's Secret presented its spring lingerie collection in New York on February 6, 1996.

1997
Introduction of Victoria's Secret 'Angel' concept

In 1997, the idea of the Victoria's Secret 'Angel' was introduced after a commercial featuring Helena Christensen, Karen Mulder, Daniela Peštová, Stephanie Seymour, and Tyra Banks promoted the 'Angels' underwear collection.

1998
Market Share Growth

By 1998, Victoria's Secret's market share of the intimate apparel market was 14 percent, and the company also entered the cosmetic market.

1999
First Online Airing of the Show

In 1999, the show aired for the first time online, attracting 1.5 million viewers and causing the site to crash. Time magazine referred to it as an 'internet-breaking moment' of that era.

2000
Gisele Bündchen wearing the most expensive lingerie item

In 2000, model Gisele Bündchen walked the Victoria's Secret runway wearing the most expensive item of lingerie ever created, a $15 million diamond-and-ruby-encrusted 'Fantasy Bra.'

2002-10-16
Launch of Pink

On October 16, 2002, Victoria's Secret announced the launch of Pink, a new lingerie line targeting 15-to-22 year olds. Pink included underwear, sleepwear, loungewear, beauty products, and accessories, focusing on teenage customs.

2004
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show Fallout

In 2004, Victoria's Secret did not hold a fashion show due to fallout from the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy, instead opting for a tour called Angels Across America.

2005
Victoria's Secret Stores, Inc. name revision to Victoria's Secret Stores, LLC

In 2005, the name of Victoria's Secret Stores, Inc. was revised to Victoria's Secret Stores, LLC.

2006
Sharen Jester Turney becomes CEO of Victoria's Secret

In 2006, Sharen Jester Turney was appointed as the CEO of the entire Victoria's Secret brand, leading to a significant growth in sales during her nine-year tenure.

2007-11-13
Victoria's Secret Angels Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

On November 13, 2007, the Victoria's Secret Angels became the first trademark to be awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2009
Victoria's Secret Runway Angel Competition

In 2009, Victoria's Secret held a nationwide competition for a new Runway Angel, with Kylie Bisutti emerging as the winner but later parting ways with the brand.

2010
Controversy over 'Wild Things' Segment

During the 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, the 'Wild Things' segment sparked controversy for its 'tribal style' outfits, particularly the outfit worn by Afro-Brazilian model Emanuela De Paula. The outfit was criticized for appropriating African culture and using racist connotations.

2012
Cultural Stereotypes in Victoria's Secret Collections

In 2012, Victoria's Secret faced criticism for cultural stereotypes in their collections, including the 'Go East' lingerie line inspired by Japanese gardens and the 'Calendar Girls' segment featuring a Native American headdress. The brand received backlash for perpetuating racial stereotypes.

2013
Limited Brands officially changed its name to L Brands

In 2013, the parent company Limited Brands underwent a name change and became known as L Brands.

2014
Victoria's Secret Becomes Most Popular Apparel Brand

By 2014, Victoria's Secret had become the most popular apparel brand in the world, with annual revenues close to $5 billion.

2016-04
End of swimwear line

In April 2016, Victoria's Secret announced the end of their swimwear line, along with apparel, shoes, and accessories, to be replaced by a new activewear line.

2016-09
Jan Singer becomes CEO of Victoria's Secret Lingerie

In September 2016, Jan Singer was appointed as the CEO of Victoria's Secret Lingerie after previously serving at Nike and as the CEO of Spanx.

2017
Continued Sales Decline

Sales for Victoria's Secret continued to drop in 2017, indicating a sustained downward trend for the company.

2018-11-08
Ed Razek's Controversial Comments

In November 2018, Ed Razek, the marketing chief of Victoria's Secret, sparked outrage by making controversial remarks about transgender and plus-size models, stating that they should not be featured in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

2019-11-21
Victoria's Secret cancels runway fashion show

Victoria's Secret officially canceled its runway fashion show for the year 2019, after Wexner mentioned in May that the company was reconsidering the show.

2020-02-01
Exposé on Misogyny and Sale Announcement

On February 1, 2020, The New York Times published an exposé on misogyny at Victoria's Secret, highlighting sexual misconduct. The company also announced a sale to Sycamore Partners.

2020-04-22
Sycamore Partners Deal Falls Through

On April 22, 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported that the sale deal with Sycamore Partners fell through. Lex Wexner stepped down but remained as chairman emeritus.

2020-05-04
L Brands announces termination of deal with Sycamore

On May 4, 2020, L Brands officially declared that the agreement with Sycamore had collapsed, leading to the end of the deal.

2020-08-14
Decline of Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret, once a leading brand globally, is facing a decline with store closures worldwide and financial struggles leading to the brink of bankruptcy.

2021-03-31
Victoria's Secret Replaced by Body-Positive Lingerie

The Internet is redefining what sexy means, replacing Victoria's Secret with body-positive lingerie.

2021-08-03
Victoria's Secret Becomes Independent Business

On August 3, 2021, Victoria's Secret was spun off by L Brands to become an independent business, trading on the NYSE as VSCO. The brand reported sales increase in 2021.

2021-12-06
Bella Hadid Criticizes Victoria's Secret

Bella Hadid had already criticized the brand for its weight and size policies.

2022-02-02
Emira D'Spain - First Black Transgender Model for Victoria's Secret

Emira D'Spain makes history as the first Black transgender model to collaborate with Victoria's Secret.

2024-01-22
Invention of Victoria's Secret Uncovered

James Hardy's article 'From Concept to Catwalk: Who Invented Victoria’s Secret Uncovered' was published on History Cooperative's website on January 22, 2024.

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Victoria's Secret
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