During the 90s and early 00s, Victoria's secret and its models such as Heidi Klum, Giselle Bündchen, Tyra Banks and Adriana Lima were among the very biggest in the fashion world.

They were Victoria's Secret's so-called "angels" at the company's annual fashion shows, where Swedish Elsa Hosk and Kelly Gale were also seen.  

- Many models had their breakthrough at this fashion show, says Justina Hüll.  

Desirable brand

In an extravagant production with models wearing angel wings, Victoria's secret had its first fashion show in 1995 which was later broadcast on television and the Internet.

The shows led to high demand for underwear and associated perfumes, which for a long time could only be purchased in the United States.

Something that made the brand even more desirable in, for example, Sweden, says Hüll. 

- Before it came here, the very narrow ideal, to be a perfect woman and photo model, was much bigger.

So they bought that picture in a completely different way many years ago. 

Criticized ideal of beauty

Victoria's secret stores were launched in Sweden between 2013 and 2019 in Stockholm and Gothenburg.

But at the same time, there was a storm of criticism against the chain that was about a lack of inclusion. 

- People thought they stood for outdated ideals.

That they were bad at including people from different ethnic backgrounds and representing different body shapes.

They were also stubborn about jumping on the new "bra revolution", explains Hüll. 

The company was primarily known for its padded "bombshell bra" at the same time as other fashion companies began investing in more comfortable underwear that resembled more comfortable sports bras. 

“Not quite recovered”  

- You can see that they have lived in an old era and fed on unhealthy body ideals, says Hüll.  

Criticism of the company reached its peak in 2019 when the company's marketing manager Ed Razek said in an interview that transsexual and curvy models could not be part of the fashion shows because it violated "imagination".  

- That led to him ultimately having to resign.

Since then, they haven't really recovered and the fashion show has stopped, says Hüll.