New York, October 20: Victoria’s Secret is abandoning its feminist rebranding and embracing “sexiness” again to boost declining sales. The company stopped its usual runway shows with its iconic “angels” in 2018 and announced its goal to be “the world’s leading advocate for women.” The company’s comeback to fashion shows last month had no catwalk and instead featured the model Naomi Campbell reading a poem.

According to a report by the Telegraph, the company plans to boost sales by expanding its product range to include activewear swimwear, upgrading its 1,400 stores, and opening 400 new shops worldwide. The company targets to achieve more than $7 billion (£5.8 billion) in yearly sales in the face of tough competition from Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty brand. Victoria's Secret 'The Icon' Collection: OG Supermodels Naomi Campbell, Adriana Lima, Gisele Bundchen and Others Pose Along With Newer Models For the Lingerie Brand.

Victoria’s Secret is expected to make $6.2 billion in 2023, a 5% decrease from 2022 and much lower than the $7.5 billion it made in 2020. “The reality is we all know the company’s performance, and so something must be going wrong," the media outlet quoted, citing the chief executive, Martin Waters. He said it was “very challenging" in the current economic situation, “where most people have lower sales, where the customer has less money," he added.

"The brand plans to prioritise sex appeal over female empowerment in its marketing strategy. Sexiness can be inclusive," CNN reported, quoting a brand executive at the company, Greg Unis, as saying. Unis added, “Sexiness can celebrate the diverse experiences of our customers, and that’s what we’re focused on." Taylor Hill, Victoria's Secret Model, and Daniel Fryer Exchange Vows In Stunning Western-Themed Wedding In Colorado (View Pics).

Recently, the company featured models such as Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski, along with plus-size models who advocate for body positivity, like Paloma Elsesser and Ali Tate-Cutler, in its recent advertisement campaigns. To promote 'inclusivity' and reverse the declining trend, Victoria's Secret signed up a transgender model, Valentina Sampaio.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2023 10:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).