Thong Wars

Victoria’s Secret’s rebrand and Savage x Fenty’s dominance

It’s hard to overstate the romance of Victoria’s Secret. It is (or, at least, was) the young woman’s Disneyland — a shrine to an almost divine femininity. The stores are like churches — heavy doors, high ceilings, verses written across the walls (“Dream Angels,” “The Perfect Body”).

Yesterday, Victoria’s Secret retired their legendary angels and brought on a new board of advisors that includes women famous for achievements in sports, entertainment, and beyond. Martin Waters, the brand’s CEO, said “We needed to stop being about what men want and to be about what women want.”

To be sure, Victoria’s Secret has a lot to do with “wanting.” It is one of the most effective aspirational marketing machines in the world. The premise of this type of marketing is that purchase decisions are made to enhance self-concept. If I buy X, I will be Y. If I have a Peloton, I will be fit. If I wear Victoria’s Secret, I will be hot. Aspirational marketing works because we all want to be special (better, hotter, cooler).

But this “wanting” often comes with a lot of pain. It’s virtually impossible to find a woman in America who hasn’t seriously struggled with body image. The self-loathing inherent in most aspirational marketing makes consumers more desperate for a fix — maybe even a $50 cleanse or a VS Angel workout video (you’re going to need the outfit to go with it).

Enter Savage x Fenty, a hugely popular size and gender inclusive lingerie line. Rather than taking a soft, wellness based approach to inclusivity (think Aerie’s “Real” campaign or Dove’s “Real Beauty” ads), Savage x Fenty is fun and glamorous. It’s about difference, coolness, “self-love,” and a more flavorful, forceful “hotness.”

Ultimately, I’m not sure if this VS rebrand will resonate with young women. Whether it’s psychologically unhealthy or not, a lot (like, a lot) of women want to be wanted (by men and everyone else). And they especially want to be wanted when they are in their underwear. Adding a diverse (and kind of random) group of “boss women” advisors isn’t turning anyone on.

Aspirational marketing is here to stay, but I’m glad that (with the help of Savage x Fenty) the ideal is getting less impossible.