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Victoria's Secret

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Victoria's Secret
Type Subsidiary
Industry Apparel
Founded 1977
Headquarters Columbus, Ohio
 United States
Key people CEO of Victoria's Secret Stores: Lori Greeley[1] CEO of Victoria's Secret Megabrand and Intimate Apparel: Sharen Jester Turney
Products Bras, panties, sleepwear, hosiery, women's clothing, lingerie, fragrances and beauty products
Revenue $5,604 million (FY 2009)[1]
Parent Limited Brands
Website victoriassecret.com
Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products.[2] It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales surpassing $5 billion USD and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006.[2] Victoria's Secret is known for its annual fashion show, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and for its catalogs, both of which feature top fashion models.

History

Victoria's Secret was started in San Francisco, California, in 1977 by Tufts University and Stanford Graduate School of Business alumnus Roy Raymond,[3] who felt embarrassed trying to purchase lingerie for his wife in a department store environment. He opened the first store at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, and quickly followed it with a mail-order catalog and three other stores.[3]

Victoria's Secret at Briarwood Mall in



The stores were meant to create a comfortable environment for men, with wood-paneled walls, Victorian details and helpful sales staff. Instead of racks of bras and panties in every size, there were single styles, paired together and mounted on the wall in frames. Men could browse for styles for women and sales staff would help estimate the appropriate size, pulling from inventory in the back rooms.
In 1982, after 5 years of operations, Roy Raymond sold the Victoria's Secret company, with its six stores and 42-page catalogue, grossing $6 million per year, to Leslie Wexner, creator of The Limited, for $4 million.[4] The Limited kept the personalized image of Victoria's Secret intact. Victoria's Secret was rapidly expanded into the U.S. malls throughout the 1980s. The company was able to vend a widened range of products, such as shoes, evening wear, and perfumes, with its mail catalog issued eight times annually. By the early 1990s, Victoria's Secret had become the largest American lingerie retailer, topping one billion dollars.[5]
Beginning in 1995, Victoria's Secret began holding the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, which is broadcasted primetime on American television. The show is a lavish event with elaborate costumed lingerie, varying music, and set design according to the different themes running within the show. The show attracts hundreds of celebrities and entertainers, with special performers and/or acts every year.
On July 10, 2007, Limited Brands sold 75% of The Limited clothing chain to firm Sun Capital Partners to focus and boost sales growth on Victoria's Secret lingerie stores and Bath & Body Works units, which provided 72% of revenue in 2006 and almost all the firm's profit.[6] There are 1,000 Victoria's Secret lingerie stores and 100 independent Victoria's Secret Beauty Stores in the US, mostly in shopping centers. It sells brassieres, panties, hosiery, cosmetics, sleepwear, and other products. Victoria's Secret mails more than 400 million of its catalogs per year.[1] Under pressure from environmentalist groups, Victoria's Secret's parent firm and a conservation group have reached an agreement to make the lingerie retailer's catalog more environmentally friendly in 2006. The catalog will no longer be made of pulp supplied from any woodland caribou habitat range in Canada, unless it has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The catalogs will also be made of 10 percent recycled paper from post-consumer waste.[7]
Victoria's Secret is now attempting to build its image with a fairly conservative, middle-class shopper in mind, avoiding any connotations of sleaziness that lingerie might carry.[5][not in citation given]
The company gained notoriety in the early 1990s after it began to use supermodels in its advertising and fashion shows. Throughout the past decade, it has turned down celebrity models and endorsements.[8]
For men, Victoria's Secret launched a "Very Sexy For Him" set, which includes cologne and aftershave. Adding to their men's collection, they have included two more colognes for men. An extension of the "Very Sexy For Him 2" and its newest, "Vertical".

International expansion

Victoria's Secret opened their first stores outside the United States in two Canadian cities: Edmonton in August 2010 and Toronto in September 2010. Edmonton has the only two locations in Western Canada, which includes the West Edmonton Mall and the Kingsway Mall while seven locations were opened in Toronto, including Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Toronto Eaton Centre, and the Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga which holds the largest store in Canada. Victoria Secret also opened outside North America with its first stores in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. In 2012 Victoria's Secret will open their first location in the United Kingdom with a 16,500 square-foot flagship store on Bond Street, London.[9]

[edit] Victoria's Secret Angels

Although it now refers to the brand's most visible spokeswomen (while the fashion show models are referred to as "Runway Angels"), the Angels started out as Victoria's Secret's lingerie line.[10] The models featured in the original advertising campaign in 1997 were Helena Christensen, Karen Mulder, Daniela Pestova, Stephanie Seymour and Tyra Banks.[11] Due to their growing popularity, the brand used them in several other advertising campaigns until Christensen's departure.[10][12] In February 1998, the Angels made their runway debut at Victoria's Secret's 4th annual fashion show, with Chandra North filling in for Christensen.[12] Their line-up has been changed multiple times over the years and the brand currently lists 13 supermodels on its website, including Heidi Klum and Marisa Miller.[13] Among other recognitions, the Victoria's Secret Angels were chosen to be part of People Magazine's annual "100 Most Beautiful People in the World" issue in 2007[14] and became the first trademark awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 13, 2007.[15]
Other notable spokesmodels for the brand have included: Claudia Schiffer,[16] Eva Herzigova,[12] Ana Hickmann,[17] Oluchi Onweagba,[18] Jessica Stam,[19] Emanuela de Paula,[20] and Katsia Zingarevich (better known as Katsia Damankova).[21] Both Ana Beatriz Barros[22] and Daria Werbowy[23] are known to have turned down an Angel contract.
The PINK line works as a sub-brand and all its faces: Ambrosio, Kerr and Prinsloo went on to become Angels. Other models such as Jessica Stam,[24] Rosie Huntington-Whiteley[25] and most recently Erin Heatherton,[26] Chanel Iman[26] and Candice Swanepoel[27] have been taking part in events for the brand.
Nationality
↓		 Name
↓		 Contract
↓		 First hiring
↓		 Runway shows
↓		 Notes
↓
United States United States Seymour, Stephanie 1997-2000[11] 1990[28] 1995-2000 1995 Fashion Show host
Denmark Denmark Christensen, Helena 1997-1998[11][12] 1996[29] 1996-1997
Netherlands Netherlands Mulder, Karen 1997-2000[11] 1992[30] 1998-2000
Czech Republic Czech Republic Peštová, Daniela 1997-2002[11] 1996[31] 1998-2001
United States United States Banks, Tyra 1997-2005[11][32] 1996 1996-2005
Argentina Argentina Rivero, Inés 1998[33] 1998 1998-2001
France France Casta, Laetitia 1998-2000[33] 1997 1997-2000
GermanyGermany
United States United States[34]		 Klum, Heidi 1999–2010[35][36] 1997 1997-2009 (host only in 2006) Fashion Show host 2002, 2006-2009
Brazil Brazil Bundchen, Gisele 2000-2007[37] 1999 1999-2006
Brazil Brazil Lima, Adriana 2000- 1999[38] 1999-2008, 2010-
Brazil Brazil Ambrosio, Alessandra 2004-[39] 2000 2000- PINK spokesmodel: 2004-2006[40]
Czech Republic Czech Republic Kurková, Karolína 2005-2008[41][42] 2000 2000-2008, 2010-
Cayman Islands Cayman Islands Ebanks, Selita 2005-2008[43][44] 2004 2005-
Brazil Brazil Goulart, Izabel 2005-2008[43] 2004 2005- Not credited as an Angel in the 2008 Fashion Show
United States United States Miller, Marisa 2007-2010[45][46] 2002[47] 2007-2009
Australia Australia Kerr, Miranda 2007-[48] 2005[49] 2006-2009 PINK spokesmodel: 2006-2008[50][51]
Netherlands Netherlands Kroes, Doutzen 2008-[8] 2004 2005-2006, 2008-2009,
Namibia Namibia Prinsloo, Behati 2009-[52] 2007 2007- PINK spokesmodel: 2008-[53]
United Kingdom United Kingdom Huntington-Whitely, Rosie 2010-[36] 2006 2006- Credited at the 2009 Fashion Show. PINK Spokesmodel 2006-2007[54][55]
South Africa South Africa Swanepoel, Candice 2010-[36] 2007 2007- Credited at the 2009 Fashion Show. PINK Spokesmodel 2010-[56]
United States United States Heatherton, Erin 2010-[36] 2008 2008- Credited at the 2009 Fashion Show. PINK spokesmodel:2010-[57]
United States United States Iman, Chanel 2010-[36] 2008[58] 2009-
United States United States Aldridge, Lily 2010-[59] 2008 2009-
United States United States Ellingson, Lindsay 2011-[60][61] 2006 2007- Credited at the 2009 Fashion Show.
Note: Most Angels started working with the company years prior to signing an Angel contract. Listed above are the dates of first published or aired campaigns or, by default, first runway show or event.

References

  1. ^ a b c Yahoo! Finance company profile. biz.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 25, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Limited Brands 2006 Annual Report". http://ww3.ics.adp.com/streetlink_data/dirLPD/annual/HTML1/default.htm. Retrieved 21 April 2007. 
  3. ^ a b Roy Raymond, 47; Began Victoria's Secret New York Times, September 2, 1993. Retrieved 2010-09-27. His California death record (see Roy Raymond article) shows that he was born in 1947 and died at age 46. This obituary likely mixed up his birth year and age, as no date of birth is listed in the article.
  4. ^ McGinn, Dan. Case Study: Victoria's Secrets, Jungle Magazine, 1 Feb. 2001
  5. ^ a b Victoria's Secret. BookRags.com. Thomson Gale, 2005. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  6. ^ `All or nothing' for Victoria's Secret brand. TheStar.com. July 10, 2007. Retrieved 2010-09-27.
  7. ^ Victoria's Secret catalog no longer in pulp friction. CBC.ca. Retrieved September 20, 2007.
  8. ^ a b The World's Top-Earning Models Forbes. Retrieved on 2007-06-16.
  9. ^ http://www.retail-week.com/property/victorias-secret-confirms-first-uk-store-on-new-bond-street/5014352.article
  10. ^ a b "Victoria's Secret Video - Where do Angels Come From?". CBS.com. 2009-10-10. http://www.cbs.com/specials/victorias_secret/video/?pid=1aLg6X9b1K7SK14Hzys49bxD3NK5m0i1. Retrieved 2010-09-27. 
  11. ^ a b c d e f "Herb Ritts". Herb Ritts. 1981-11-19. http://www.herbritts.com/images/commercials/. Retrieved 2010-09-27. 
  12. ^ a b c d E!TV Victoria's Secret Special 1998
  13. ^ Current Supermodel Listing
  14. ^ "The Models of Victoria's Secret," People. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
  15. ^ Victoria's Secret angels on Walk of Fame[dead link] source: Mainichi Daily News. Retrieved November 14, 2007.
  16. ^ Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/1998/0824/6204058a.html. 
  17. ^
  18. ^ Marsh, Lisa (February 11, 2004). "Show Buzz". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/show_buzz_qLaEx1rq5IliGneXjlsaxM. 
  19. ^ "No hiding it". New York Post. December 12, 2010. http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/no_hiding_it_dbhPKvsDtfpY97brEPi53M. 
  20. ^ "Victoria's Secret Models Talk Body Shapes, Babies, And Brazilian Women (VIDEO)". Huffingtonpost.com. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/11/victorias-secret-models-t_n_256645.html. Retrieved 2010-09-27. 
  21. ^ http://www.lingerieweapon.com/lingerie-models/katsia-zingarevich-new-face-of-victorias-secret/
  22. ^ http://news.bgfashion.net/article/1317/13/ana_beatriz_barros.php
  23. ^ http://www.theimagist.com/node/5345
  24. ^ 2006 Fashion PINK preshow event
  25. ^ http://nymag.com/fashion/models/rhuntington/rosiehuntington/
  26. ^ a b http://racked.com/archives/2010/11/02/victorias-secret-pink-nfl-launch.php
  27. ^ http://www.lingerietalk.com/2010/08/05/lingerie-news/vs-pink-launches-nfl-team-collection.html
  28. ^ http://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/news/19405-stephanie-seymour-model-profile
  29. ^ http://nymag.com/fashion/models/hchristensen/helenachristensen/
  30. ^ http://nymag.com/fashion/models/kmulder/karenmulder/
  31. ^ http://nymag.com/fashion/models/dpestova/danielapestova/
  32. ^ CBS Specials: Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2005 source:CBS.com. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
  33. ^ a b http://www.lambocars.com/dia/diavs.htm
  34. ^ Heidi Klum Becomes a Citizen For Her Children, People Magazine, 9 March 2009
  35. ^ http://www.askmen.com/celebs/women/models/1_heidi_klum.html
  36. ^ a b c d e "Heidi Klum quitting Victoria's Secret". New York Post. September 30, 2010. http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/heidi_hangs_up_her_secret_wings_oE3Ntqqml3jK4RNOzf7vAO. 
  37. ^ http://www.dailyfrontrow.com/the-fix/article/9643
  38. ^ New York Magazine: Adriana Lima profile
  39. ^ [1] accessed 2007-06-13.
  40. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5551845/
  41. ^ http://www.askmen.com/celebs/women/models_150/174_karolina_kurkova.html
  42. ^ Kurkova looses contract
  43. ^ a b http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2005/10/17/the-victorias-secret-fashion-show-featuring-top-models-tyra-banks-gisele-bundchen-heidi-klum-and-adriana-lima-to-be-broadcast-dec-6-on-the-cbs-television-network/20051017cbs02/
  44. ^ http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/selita-ebanks-dancehall-queen/17655
  45. ^ "Marisa Miller out at Victoria's Secret". New York Post. January 20, 2010. http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/wings_clipped_Dmruic3ZpNhQvjDbbU2EsM#ixzz0dA7huAk2. 
  46. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Marisa Miller Hangs Up Wings, Focuses on the Troops". Fox News. November 11, 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/11/11/exclusive-marisa-miller-hangs-wings-focuses-troops/. 
  47. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/20/marisa-miller-splits-from_n_429534.html
  48. ^ http://news.rin.ru/eng/news///13789/
  49. ^ Cardace, Sara (November 26, 2008). "Supermodel Miranda Kerr". New York Post. http://www.nypost.com/pagesixmag/issues/20081130/Angel+Baby+Supermodel+Miranda+Kerr?page=2. 
  50. ^ 2006 Angel-Cam Featurette
  51. ^ http://www.zimbio.com/Miranda+Kerr/articles/370/Miranda+Kerr+Launches+Victoria+Secret+New
  52. ^ Backstage with fashionair at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2009
  53. ^ http://www.celebritybrands.net/lingerie/behati-prinsloo-to-front-victorias-secret-pink/
  54. ^ 2006 Fashion Show Angel Cam featurette
  55. ^ http://nymag.com/fashion/models/rhuntington/rosiehuntington/
  56. ^ http://www.life.com/image/102001802w
  57. ^ http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2010/11/02/chanel-iman-erin-heatherton-wish-heidi-klum-happiness-hog-spotlight-victorias-secret-fashion-show-pink-nfl-collection/
  58. ^ http://nymag.com/fashion/models/ciman/chaneliman/
  59. ^ www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20024096-10391698.html
  60. ^ Our Angels sizzle in every time zone! Check out this hot pictorial in the new British GQ
  61. ^ http://entertainment.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/01/13/victorias-secret-angels-new-faces-vs-old-class-who-is-sexiest/

External links

Factory 1b.svg Companies portal