MILLIONS of viewers flocked to their television screens to catch the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
Years after Victoria’s Secret pulled the plug on its yearly TV spectacle, consumers of the lingerie and fashion brand are offered a closer look at what happened in Hulu’s Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons.
On November 21, 2019, the decision was made to cancel the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
For the first time since August 1995, the popular clothing line did not host its yearly catwalk extravaganza.
At the time, L Brands chief financial officer Stuart Burgdoerfer said in a statement: “We think it’s important to evolve the marketing of Victoria’s Secret.
“It was a very important part of the brand-building of this business and was an important aspect of the brand and a remarkable marketing achievement.”
Burgdoerfer added: “We’re figuring out how to advance the positioning of the brand and best communicate that to customers.
“We will be communicating to customers, but nothing similar in magnitude to the fashion show.”
The choice to pull the plug followed years of controversy surrounding Victoria’s Secret, as well as the low viewership from the 2018 edition of the event special.
Months before the November cancellation, Karlie Kloss gave details about why she walked away from the famed lingerie line in 2015.
Regarding her choice to quit her position as a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2015, Karlie told Vogue UK: “The reason I decided to stop working with Victoria’s Secret was I didn’t feel it was an image that was truly reflective of who I am and the kind of message I want to send to young women around the world about what it means to be beautiful.
“I think that was a pivotal moment in me stepping into my power as a feminist, being able to make my own choices and my own narrative, whether through the companies I choose to work with, or through the image I put out to the world.”
In 1982, Les Wexner acquired Victoria’s Secret from founders and husband and wife duo, Roy and Gaye Raymond.
Wexner purchased the luxury fashion line under L Brands, the former owner of Lane Bryant, Express, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
In August 2021, L Brands split into two separate entities – Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works.
L Brands chairwoman Sarah Nash said of the agreement to separate into two companies: “In the last 10 months, we have made significant progress in the turnaround of the Victoria’s Secret business.
“Implementing merchandise and marketing initiatives to drive top-line growth as well as executing on a series of cost reduction actions, which together have dramatically increased profitability.”
Nash further stated: “As a result of these efforts, Victoria’s Secret is now well-positioned to operate as a standalone public company.
“I couldn’t be more delighted to be leading the work to refresh the brand positioning to make it more relevant, to make it more inclusive, to make it more consistent with the attitude and lifestyle of the modern woman.”
The Hulu documentary program Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons is scheduled to be released on July 14, 2022.
The docuseries incorporates accounts from a variety of former Victoria’s Secret business professionals who give their side of why the lingerie-based brand faced controversy.
The TV special also reveals the ties between former L Brands CEO Les Wexner and disgraced businessman Jeffrey Epstein.
In a preview for the docuseries, director Matt Tyrnauer comments: “After the second arrest, it became increasingly clear that Wexner was one of his biggest clients, and so much of Epstein’s wealth came from the work he did for Wexner.
“Then, more troubling details emerged—including that he had power of attorney that gave him access to vast amounts of Wexner’s wealth.”
Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons will be exclusively available to Hulu and its subscribers.
