📉 Victoria Secret: From Fantasy to Fallout
For years, Victoria’s Secret was untouchable.
In 2016, it dominated nearly 32% of the U.S. lingerie market, generating over $7.7B in annual sales.
Then the brand collapsed, fast.
By 2019, market share had dropped below 12%, sales were down $2.5B, and the once-famous runway show was canceled.
Critics accused the company of being out of touch with the new generation of women who valued diversity, authenticity, and inclusivity.
The Angels era, all glamour and exclusivity, no longer resonated.
For more details on their growth trajectory and revenue metrics, check here.
Or this great article on the top 5 women’s underwear brands losing market share.
🔁 The Turning Point: The “Tour 23” Experiment
In 2023, Victoria’s Secret took a bold step back into the spotlight with The Tour ’23 a documentary-style special on Prime.
Video featuring global creators, designers, and storytellers instead of supermodels.
The message was clear:
“We’re not just showing fashion. We’re showing the women behind it.”
That move didn’t just reframe the brand; it reintroduced Victoria’s Secret to Gen Z and millennials who had written it off.
💥 Victoria’s Secret 2025: The Creator-Era Comeback
The 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, held on October 15, 2025 at Steiner Studios in New York, marked the full rebirth.
This wasn’t a return to the old formula; it was a creator-first media event streamed everywhere:
Prime Video, Amazon Live, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Live.
📺 Where to Watch
You can still rewatch the full show on Prime Video or find official highlight clips across TikTok and YouTube using #VSTour2025 (already topping 300M views).
🧩 Five Strategies Behind Victoria’s Secret’s Reinvention
1️⃣ Stream Everywhere, Not Just on TV
In 2025, Victoria’s Secret scrapped exclusivity for accessibility.
The show was live-streamed on Prime Video, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Live, letting fans worldwide join in real time.
This decentralized distribution created a flood of UGC, including reactions, edits, and commentary, turning every viewer into a micro broadcaster.
💡 Lesson for marketers:
Don’t gate your biggest brand moments. Multiply them. Stream where your audience already is.
2️⃣ Build for Creator Capture
Every frame of the show was built to be filmed and shared.
Pre-cleared audio tracks, backstage media zones, and “shop-the-runway” integrations empowered creators to publish instantly.
Even Victoria’s Secret’s official TikTok focused on behind the scenes creator content, showing Angel Reese and Quenlin Blackwell’s reactions after the show, which generated millions of organic views:
https://www.tiktok.com/@victoriassecret/video/7561581359643315469?lang=en
💡 Lesson:
The new rule of content? Design it for remix, not replay.
3️⃣ Cast for Communities, Not Categories
The 2025 cast reflected every corner of culture, from sports to social media to film.
- Angel Reese (WNBA) bridged sports and fashion audiences.
- Suni Lee (Olympic gymnast) walked for VS Pink, connecting to younger fans.
- Quenlin Blackwell (TikTok) brought Gen Z energy and viral visibility.
- Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria) embodied the brand’s inclusivity pivot.
💡 Lesson:
Your audience doesn’t fit into one demo anymore. Cast people who build community, not just followers.
4️⃣ Turn Events Into Always-On Systems
After the show, Victoria’s Secret didn’t let momentum fade.
Through its open Content Creator Program available to anyone with 2,000+ followers; creators can share reviews, hauls, and affiliate links all year long.
This turned one tentpole event into a sustained content engine.
💡 Lesson:
Build a system, not a spike. Creators should fuel your marketing flywheel year-round.
5️⃣ Make Inclusivity a Performance Metric
The 2025 show wasn’t just diverse; it was measurable.
According to Traackr, Victoria’s Secret’s audience sentiment shifted from 44% positive in 2018 to 72% positive in 2025, largely driven by inclusive casting and authentic storytelling-
The campaign’s core line: “Every Body is Runway Ready” generated record saves and shares across Instagram and TikTok.
💡 Lesson:
Representation isn’t charity. It’s good business.
