Victoria’s Secret was under fire for years for not being inclusive enough, but as of lately, they have done a complete 180.
The renowned company has recently undergone a transformation of their brand, welcoming a much more diverse group of models, including Sofía Jirau, a 24-year-old Puerto Rican model with Down syndrome.
Victoria’s Secret hasn’t exactly been the beacon of inclusivity, but they’ve recently started to turn things around.
Things came to a boiling point in 2018, after the chief of marketing, Ed Razek, told Vogue that the reason they haven’t welcomed any transgender models to their roster is that they don’t embody the “fantasy” they’re trying to portray.
“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,” he said.
“If you’re asking if we’ve considered putting a transgender model in the show or looked at putting a plus-size model in the show, we have. We invented the plus-size model show in what was our sister division, Lane Bryant.”
He also said that there has been “no interest” in a plus-size fashion show.
In June 2021, the popular lingerie company underwent a major brand transformation that included ditching their angels.
In an interview with The New York Times , Victoria’s Secret CEO Martin Waters opened up about their rebrand.
“I’ve known that we needed to change this brand for a long time, we just haven’t had the control of the company to be able to do it,” he admitted, adding that the angel era is simply dated.
“Right now, I don’t see it as being culturally relevant,” he said .
In early January 2022, Victoria’s Secret unveiled their rebrand and garnered a ton of praise for broadening their representation.
The semi-annual sale promotions revealed a much more body-positive side of the company.
Now, they’ve welcomed Sofía Jirau, a 24-year-old Puerto Rican model with Down syndrome to their new and improved, inclusive line-up.
Jirau began her modeling journey in Puerto Rico back in 2019 and made her big US debut at New York Fashion Week in 2020.
“When I was little, I looked myself in the mirror and said, ‘I’m going to be a model and a businesswoman,'” she told People .
“I was born for this and I want to show the world that I have everything a model needs to shine,” she subsequently shared on Instagram.
In February 2022, Jirau shared the exciting news via Instagram, praising Victoria’s Secret for giving her the opportunity.
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“One day I dreamed of it, I worked for it and today it’s a dream come true,” she penned . “I can finally tell you my big secret.”
She then revealed to her followers that she has made history as the first-ever Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome.
“I am Victoria’s Secret’s first model with Down syndrome!” she wrote.
“Thank you Victoria’s Secret for seeing me as a model who has #NoLimits and making me part of the inclusive Love Cloud Collection campaign,” the 24-year-old continued.
“Inside and out, there are no limits,” she added .
Let us know what you think of the latest addition to the Victoria’s Secret family in the comments!