Victoria’s Secret is a household name. I find it interesting that it’s really the only name in the lingerie industry that’s recognizable on such a massive level. It’s an empire of glitter and lace that has a home in every decent sized mall in America (and even outside of America); but every empire has to find its start somewhere.

Victoria’s Secret was born out of the mind of a frustrated Roy Raymond, who felt like shopping for lingerie for his wife was the bane of a man’s existence. Brilliant really, as during the 70s men had most of the purchasing power in a household, yet shopping for such raunchy merchandise was absolutely intimidating. The idea for a store like this targeted at men was original and maybe even a bit scandalous.

In 1977, the first VS store was born in San Francisco along with a catalogue. According to HubPages, “The décor of the stores were Victorian designed with wood panel walls and friendly staff. Instead of bras and panties being hung on a sterile rack, they were paired together in all sizes and mounted on frames. The stores were very detailed and were quite inviting when a gentleman came to purchase lingerie.” Throughout the first five years, Raymond opened two more stores in the same area, but found the most success through his catalogue sales.

Photo from the 1970s Victoria’s Secret catalogue:

Notice the difference between the marketing of the 1970s catalogue versus the catalogue today.

The original Victoria’s Secret catalogue give off a much more luxurious and mysterious vibe, while the new brand is casual. Notice also the dark color scheme used in the 70s catalogue– not the same color scheme used today with VS marketing campaigns.

So when exactly did the VS brand transition from sultry and mysterious to playful and sexy? Probably beginning in 1982 when it was purchased by The Limited. The three stores and catalogue system that Raymond had started with were making a dent in the marketplace, but not dominating quite yet. With the purchase of the company, Leslie Wexner (creator of The Limited) took on the marketing of VS.

She made a 360 of Raymond’s original marketing plan, and decided to market to women. She saw the change in the marketplace– women were now purchasing the majority of their undergarments, and she needed to make them want the VS brand. Victoria’s Secret transformed from “more burlesque than Main Street” to a mainstay that sold broadly accepted underwear. The “new colors, patterns and styles that promised sexiness packaged in a tasteful, glamorous way and with the snob appeal of European luxury” were supposed to appeal to and appease female buyers, according to Tomasino’s Discovering Popular Culture.

The new branding incorporated men into the catalogues in order to hopefully appeal to women:

Within five years of the purchase, Wexner had completely transformed the brand. What used to be 3 small boutiques was then a 346 store giant in the lingerie industry. The Angels were alive, and ringing in sales faster than ever before.

So now we’re getting a little closer to the modern day VS brand… But in the early 2000s, VS changed their strategy once again. Rather than focusing on big breasts and sex appeal, the company decided to bring a more upscale lingerie feel to the brand. Each of the brand changes that they made led to a bigger share in the lingerie marketplace– taking away from the department store sales that once dominated.

Beginning in 1995, Victoria’s Secret brought the world lingerie fashion shows. Now an iconic part of their brand, these fashion shows brought lingerie to the mainstream pop culture world. Women tune in to see the sparkling new lingerie and their favorite pop singers, and men tune in for the sex appeal. This fashion show has become tradition in American pop culture, and a game changer in branding for Victoria’s Secret.

And the rest, is history. Over the past two decades, the styles have changed dramatically within VS lines, but the brand message is the same. High-end lingerie that is playful and sexy for women everywhere. They even introduced the PINK brand to capture their audience from as young as the age of 13. Take a look at some then and now photos for more direct comparison of the branding: