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A couple of weeks ago, Victoria’s Secret hired its first openly transgender model, Valentina Sampaio, to do work with its PINK brand. Several commenters were complimentary to Valentina but said that Victoria’s Secret needs to go away already and/or that the company appears to be fading. Another person who recently expressed displeasure with the brand is model Kate Upon, who criticized the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’s failure to be inclusive. On Watch What Happens Live she was asked about the rumors that there wouldn’t be a VS fashion show this year. You can see the video below and here’s what she said.
“You know what? We’re sick of seeing the same body type. You have to be body inclusive now. Every woman needs to be represented otherwise it’s a snoozefest.”
Kate got rousing applause and cheers from the audience with her comments, and she corrected Andy Cohen, who didn’t realize that she had done work with Victoria’s Secret. I was curious to see when Kate had worked with the company, and in ETOnline’s story about this, the writer discusses awful comments that Sophia Neophitou, Victoria’s Secret’s casting director, made about Kate in an interview with the New York Times several years ago:
Upton and the lingerie brand have had some bad blood in the past. Back in 2012, Victoria’s Secret’s casting director Sophia Neophitou gave less than flattering comments about the model after she landed the 2012 Sports Illustrated cover, which catapulted her to fame. In an interview with The New York Times, Neophitou said Victoria’s Secret would “never use her.”
“She’s like a footballer’s wife, with the too-blond hair and that kind of face that anyone with enough money can go out and buy,” Neophitou said.
But the brand did end up using an old 2011 photo of Upton when she was under contract with Victoria’s Secret for a 2013 catalog, which she was obviously unhappy about, according to multiple reports.
[From ET Online]
I’m not shocked by this turn of events: Someone speaking for the brand bashed Kate as unsuitable for the Fashion Show in 2012. The next year, the brand used one of her photos in the catalog. The New York Times noted after reporting Neophitou’s comments that Kate “has, in fact, modeled on occasion for the company’s catalog,” allowing the reader to notice the obnoxious move at the time: Kate has been “good enough” for the catalog, but apparently is not “good enough” for the fashion show. Neophitou’s comments themselves are offensive and spiteful, so I’m also not shocked that for Kate, there’s no love lost for Victoria’s Secret. It makes sense that she’d use an opportunity to get a dig in at the brand while making a point about body inclusivity. That said, objectification is objectification. The Fashion Show never needs to find a place again on TV or the internet, no matter how inclusive it might end up being. While I’m glad that Kate is talking about this issue, I wish that the conversation would happen more often and in healthy, supportive spaces.
Here’s the video clip!
photos credit: Getty
Yeah, body inclusiveness is not the reason they are VS is a snoozefest.
VS’s time has come and gone. Aside from objectification and a lack of diversity, I don’t see how the brand can compete with online retailers who are bringing new technology and designs to women’s foundation pieces.
This, all of this! VS is all about male fantasy, the male gaze. And now that we have actual foundation brands that are catering to what women (the people who wear the stuff) truly need, it can be shuffled off like other fantasy stores, in the corner when wanted.
Thanks Megan, you are quite correct. Now I wish I could find some affordable bras to fit my 34 Gs (I’m very low on funds these days). Even if I could afford a breast reduction, I’m not sure if I want one (the results seem to leave massive scarring, and I already have scars on one breast due to a horrible accident, and I am still self-conscious about them). If anyone can recommend some brands that fit very large natural breasts but are about the $30 range, please comment!
This is so much Tiffany! And while Sophia Neophitou should learn to use some tack, what she said about Upton wasn’t exactly false, lol.
You’re right, it wasn’t exactly false. I didn’t really get the appeal of Kate Upton – she’s pretty, but like…suburban pretty.
However, VS has never made sense to me. They don’t sell a lot of sexy lingerie, it’s mostly bras and boring underwear – yet their marketing has always been towards men. The ads and models they use tend to make women feel bad about themselves (or maybe it’s just me) but I’m the one who buys the product, not my husband! I’m not surprised they’re failing.
I find her quite striking with the right styling. Her Bobbi Brown campaign looks were great, really sophisticated.
I find her absolutely gorgeous. I guess to each his/her own!!1
Every time I read a quote from a VS executive, I wonder what the mission statement of the company can be. “We strive to be as offensive and tone-deaf as possible”?
It’s ALL of them! All of them are terrible.
I can’t wear VS bras because they don’t carry sizes past DDD. Even if I could smoosh my boobs into one of their bras I wouldn’t bother because they are so over priced for the quality.
I also seem to recall one of their executives being quite rude about including larger sizes, like VS is too good for that or something to that effect. Too bad for Vicki’s cause I spend a lot of money on bras and they wont see a penny from me.
I quit shopping VS over ten years ago due to quality and switched to SOMA for foundation garments
Agreed. The quality has gone downhill to such a degree it’s almost disposable clothing. My niece loves the pink line but the bras don’t fit well and the rest of it seems to shred in the washer. I love SOMA as well, but I am having the worst time trying to get a bra that doesn’t slip off my shoulders. Don’t even bother with third love I was really disappointed for the cost.
So agree. All their products are crap quality
Did she not notice the lack of diversity when she worked for them? It’s only after they decided to no longer work with her, she calls them out. I don’t wear anything from VS…ever. I can not stand the PINK clothing trend. I hope it died out. So tacky.
Actually it sounds like they used her photos AFTER trashing her when they realized she’s really popular. Very unprofessional (yet unsurprising) on the part of VS. I’d be irritated too.
Honestly I haven’t stepped foot in a VS in 20 years, I learned early on that an expensive bra that I was properly fitted for made my girls look so great under clothes. VS can die a slow costly death as I watch with glee and schadenfreude.
She’s right! As a plus sized woman, I do really enjoy seeing clothing worn on larger bodies. Not JUST because it’s closer to what the clothing would look like on me, but also because larger female bodies are great to look at!
I think seeing the same body for decades truly has taken away from the entertainment and artistic value of seeing new clothing on a runway/in a catalogue etc.
The thin, tall, less curvy figure we have seen for decades is a beautiful body also. Woman’s bodies are varied and fascinating and all of them should be featured, it truly does keep it interesting.
The irony is VS rejects Upton but endorses reality show bimbos literally frankensurgeried beyond expression. You can’t put down one and glorify another accusing them of the same cosmetic procedures.
I looked up Sophia Neophitou and the third result was an article she wrote about how much she loved wearing 5 inch high heels every day until a car ran over her foot and she was “forced” to wear flats which she “resigned” herself to. Suffice it to say I never would have agreed with her aesthetic. The last time I wore heels was at my cousin’s wedding 10 years ago when I was 21 and they made my back hurt so much I had to leave the reception early. I am interested in comfort over male gaze fashion and I think most people in my generation are too. That’s why brands like Thirdlove and Aerie are driving Victoria’s Secret out. The models aren’t relatable and the lingerie isn’t comfortable or high quality.
She’s saying what everyone has been saying for years.
I watched Hozier’s performance on the show a few years back and the backstage footage and over the top walks by the models made me cringe. Aside from Tyra, you’d never see models act so obnoxious on the runway back in the day.
VS’s Les Wexner is one of Epstein’s close friends, that’s enough for all of VS to be cancelled.
Wonder what she is wearing in that first photo, to achieve such a flattening effect. I could use something like that!