Victoria’s Secret to relaunch swimwear

Struggling lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret is bringing back its swimwear range, discontinued in 2016. Stuart Burgdoerfer, CEO of the label’s parent company, L Brands, said in an earnings call that swimsuits will be relaunched in the spring of 2019. 

But swimwear is not the only product category Victoria’s Secret will go back to. “We’re going to be entering some other exited categories”, added Burgdoerfer. “We’re already begun marketing and selling boots, for example, but also eyewear and other licensed businesses”.

The news comes just days after the appointment of a new CEO for the brand John Mehas, who joined Victoria’s Secret from Tory Burch. Mehas will be succeeding Jan Singer, who left the company amidst dropping sales and over 1,000 store closures in the United States. Singer departed less than a week after the brand came under fire because of a controversial remark from its Senior Creative, Edward Razek. He said transgender models shouldn’t be included in Victoria’s Secret fashion show because the show is supposed to be “a fantasy”. 

Razek’s remarks have caused both public and media to accuse the brand of failing to get with the times. Market analysts attribute Victoria’s Secret’s poor performance in sales to consumers being interested in more comfortable options, as well as being inclined to support brands with a more inclusive message. Rihanna’s lingerie brand Savage x Fenty, for example, has been praised for employing models of different ethnicities and sizes.