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INTRODUCTION

This report will be addressing the recent decline in Victoria’s Secret sales and the problems the brand are facing. This will be done by looking at industry and editorial reports and then providing recommendations on how to rectify these issues. Victoria’s Secret sales are on a decline and the brand is struggling. “The brand's parent company, L Brands, has posted weak sales for four straight quarters, and the stock has plunged 45% over the last year.” – (Business Insider UK, 2017). Even the shows iconic annual show that it has become known for is not getting the response it was 10 or even 20 years ago. “it garnered its lowest ratings ever. Clocking in at 3.3 million viewers for the 2018 show (compared to 5 million last year), the show's viewership has consistently dropped by millions each year since 2013.” – (Vogue, 2018). The brand and the brand identity that it has built up are falling out of favour with modern consumers and audiences. And a recent PR disaster also cost the brand, when Ed Razek the Senior Creative for the brand made some offensive comments: “So it’s like, why don’t you do 50? Why don’t you do 60? Why don’t you do 24? It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.” – (Vogue, 2018). All these factors contribute to the idea that Victoria Secret is maintaining a brand identity that does not match up with current consumer trends – that trend being inclusivity and accurate representation.

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The trend of inclusivity and proper representation has been and is continuing to grow in the fashion industry. Every day shoppers want to see the clothes they are spending their money on be designed for them and be shown on people who look like them rather than the typical model body that has traditionally been used to display clothing. This trend seems to be more apparent in millennials: “Millennials are redefining diversity, and redefining inclusion separately, and organizations should pay close attention to this shifting paradigm.” – (Forbes, 2017).  As younger shoppers will be the buyers tomorrow it is important for brands to listen to their demands. One of the reasons for this trend is the rise of the use of social media. Social media allows for there to be a conversation dynamic between brands and potential consumers, this means customers can voice their demands, expectations, and opinions more easily, and that brands are more receptive. The trend of inclusivity applies to underwear too. Women want to feel empowered and confident in their sexuality and their choice of underwear can help facilitate this. Therefore underwear brands need to be listening to what their target demographic want – at the moment that is inclusivity. This report will address the trend of inclusivity, specifically looking at clothes for bigger, and curvier women and the possibility of plus-size ranges.

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