Story at a glance
- Victoria’s Secret announced it will be replacing it’s supermodel “angels” with “women famous for their achievements and not their proportions.”
- Called the VS Collective, the new platform will include women such as Olympic soccer champion Megan Rapinoe, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and transgender model Valentina Sampaio.
- In 2019, the company canceled its Victoria’s Secret Fashion show after being criticized for not including models of different races and body types.
Victoria’s Secret announced it will be replacing its supermodel “angels” with “women famous for their achievements and not their proportions,” according to the New York Times.
“We looked for women who had a track record of accomplishment but also a multidimensional aspect to who they are and how they show up in the world that would help us bring a different type of narrative to our brand,” Martha Pease, Victoria’s Secret’s chief marketing officer, told NBC News.
Called the VS Collective, the new platform will include women such as Olympic soccer champion Megan Rapinoe, actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, transgender model Valentina Sampaio and body advocate Paloma Elsesser, among others.
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“I am humbled to join this group of incredible women to drive change within the Victoria’s Secret brand and beyond,” Rapinoe said. “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.”
Sampaio echoed the sentiment, saying, “Being a trans woman often means facing closed doors to people’s hearts. 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 company has faced backlash in previous years for a lack of diversity in its models. In 2019, the company canceled its Victoria’s Secret Fashion show after being criticized for not including models of different races and body types.
“Victoria’s Secret is changing,” Pease said. “And the change is focused on being there for women, championing women, and advocating for women in ways that have a positive impact on their lives.”
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