Victoria’s Secret is known for selling high quality, gorgeous, make-me-feel-fabulous lingerie. Well, only for those who are fortunate enough to fit into the category of size zero through sixteen, that is.
If you make a campaign celebrating size, everyone in it shouldn’t be the same size. How is this difficult for brands to grasp?
— Alysse Dalessandro (@readytostare) September 3, 2015
For years, plus size women have hoped that the coveted Victoria’s Secret products would be available in larger sizes. More recently, the outcry has become louder, as ladies with fuller figures feel left out of the lingerie game, as if they are not worthy to wear lovely Victoria’s Secret creations.
In a related report by the Inquisitr, plus size model Tess Holliday feels that Victoria’s Secret excludes women who wear larger sizes. Tess, who wears a 22, has never been able to shop at Victoria’s Secret.
“There’s a certain image that Victoria’s Secret upholds for this ‘perfect body,’ and if they were to branch out and have plus-size women, it might – in their eyes – ruin that business and branding goal. But I think to have the biggest lingerie retailer in the world carry plus-size lingerie would be a huge step in the right direction and an accomplishment, not just for the industry, but for women in general.”
According to MTV News, this feeling began when Tess was a teenager.
“Growing up in Mississippi, I definitely remember Victoria’s Secret being a huge part of my teenage mall experience, but I couldn’t really fit into any of the underwear. I was always pretty busty, and they didn’t have a band size big enough for me to wear their bras. To be honest, every time I walk into a Victoria’s Secret, they look at me like, ‘You are clearly in the wrong store.’ I’ve been to Victoria’s Secret stores all across the country—and even one internationally—but they’ve never offered to help me. Ever. Not even at one. Whenever I do stop in, it’s mostly with my friends—not all of my friends are plus size—but I’ve never actually worn anything from there. I’ve never been able to.”
Holliday says Victoria’s Secret is missing out on a $9 billion industry. That’s more than a fair amount of consumers that Victoria’s Secret is ignoring.
Fredericks of Hollywood is another lingerie store sometimes compared to Victoria’s Secret. Though Fredericks seems to deal in more sexy items, while Victoria’s Secret has a more romantic feel, the two stores can be lumped in the same category. Clothing sizes a Fredericks range from X-Small to 3X, while Victoria’s Secret stops firmly at XL, or a size 16.
Tess says it’s time for women with fuller figures to stop feeling ashamed , reports People.
“The bottom line is that there’s this pervasive feeling that fat girls aren’t supposed to feel sexy, and that needs to change.”
Do you think Victoria’s Secret will ever make plus size lingerie an option?
[Image via Stuck At The Airport ]