We visited a Victoria's Secret flagship store and saw how it's trying to win back customers by turning up the lights and toning down risque marketing

Mary HanburyJul 31, 2021, 14:55 IST

Victoria's Secret's new marketing campaign.Insider/Mary Hanbury

Victoria's Secret is in the process of refreshing its entire store fleet.
It's promising to turn up the lights and replace its bubblegum pink interiors.
We visited its London flagship to see how different it is to shop in its stores today.

We headed to Victoria's Secret's flagship store in London on a sunny afternoon.

The store opened in 2012. Mary Hanbury/Insider

The most immediate difference we noticed was the marketing in its store windows.

The store windows looked very different. Insider/Mary Hanbury

The store seemed radically different when we walked in. Previously, the lights were dimmed, music was booming, and images of its Angels (that have been described as borderline pornographic by some shoppers) covered the walls.

Victoria's Secret's new marketing campaign. Insider/Mary Hanbury

The store seemed radically different when we walked in. Previously, the lights were dimmed, music was booming, and images of its Angels (that have been described as borderline pornographic by some shoppers) covered the walls.

But as we headed deeper inside the ground floor area, it felt a lot more similar to the old Victoria's Secret than we had first thought.

The ground floor area. Insider/Mary Hanbury

The lights may have been turned up but its signature pink, black, and white interior remained...

Boudoir-like displays. Insider/Mary Hanbury

...as did its boudoir-like fitting rooms.

Fitting room. Insider/Mary Hanbury

While we weren't expecting the interior to be completely redone, we were expecting to see the more toned-down lingerie that appeared in the windows to be front and center of the store.

Victoria's Secret's "Very Sexy" collection. Insider/Mary Hanbury

While we weren't expecting the interior to be completely redone, we were expecting to see the more toned-down lingerie that appeared in the windows to be front and center of the store.

Its signature push-up bras were in prime position but plus-size mannequins, maternity bras, and more casual underwear were nowhere to be seen.

Push-up bras. Insider/Mary Hanbury

As we headed to the staircase at the back of the store we noticed a major change.

A giant silver staircase is a prominent feature in its store. Insider/Mary Hanbury

As we headed up to the next floor, we were immediately greeted by a stand showcasing one of its partnerships with a British lingerie brand.

Victoria's Secret launched a partnership with Bluebella in 2019. Insider/Mary Hanbury

This was our first glimpse of its swimwear collection.

Victoria's Secret swimwear collection. Insider/Mary Hanbury

This area of the store was dedicated to its more laid-back styles, including athleisurewear.

Leggings for sale. Insider/Mary Hanbury

We found a mix of sports bras and casual T-shirt bra styles here.

New marketing appeared here too. Insider/Mary Hanbury

Next, we headed down to the bottom, and final, floor of the store.

Insider/Mary Hanbury

While analysts have praised the mannequins as a more inclusive move, some shoppers say it's still falling short by not offering enough extended sizes.

Fuller-sized mannequins. Insider/Mary Hanbury

The Pink brand was once the strongest part of Victoria's Secret's portfolio from a sales perspective. But around 2018, sales slipped at the brand and it was forced to lean on heavy discounting to shift stock.

The sale section. Insider/Mary Hanbury

The Pink brand was once the strongest part of Victoria's Secret's portfolio from a sales perspective. But around 2018, sales slipped at the brand and it was forced to lean on heavy discounting to shift stock.

At that time, other teen-focused brands such as American Eagle's Aerie started to take market share with more inclusive marketing and body-positive campaigns that resonated with young shoppers.

Victoria's Secret Bond Street store Insider/Mary Hanbury

At that time, other teen-focused brands such as American Eagle's Aerie started to take market share with more inclusive marketing and body-positive campaigns that resonated with young shoppers.

Pink is known for being a logo-heavy brand, something that analysts have said can be detrimental. If a brand stops being seen as trendy, shoppers no longer see the value in their logos and they spend elsewhere, for example.

Pink logos. Insider/Mary Hanbury

Pink is known for being a logo-heavy brand, something that analysts have said can be detrimental. If a brand stops being seen as trendy, shoppers no longer see the value in their logos and they spend elsewhere, for example.

Waters said tie-dye apparel was a big seller for the brand too. This was tactically positioned right at the front of the Pink store.

Tie-die is having a moment in fashion. Insider/Mary Hanbury

But bras and panties are still its bread and butter and there was a ton on display. More casual styles such as bralettes still had the Victoria's Secret spin, however, with the extra push-up.

Pink bralettes. Insider/Mary Hanbury

But bras and panties are still its bread and butter and there was a ton on display. More casual styles such as bralettes still had the Victoria's Secret spin, however, with the extra push-up.

Bed Bath & Beyond just reopened a truly massive 92,000-square-foot NYC store with a coffee shop - see inside

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

We visited a Victoria's Secret flagship store and saw how it's trying to win back customers by turning up the lights and toning down risque marketing

We headed to Victoria's Secret's flagship store in London on a sunny afternoon.

The most immediate difference we noticed was the marketing in its store windows.

The store seemed radically different when we walked in. Previously, the lights were dimmed, music was booming, and images of its Angels (that have been described as borderline pornographic by some shoppers) covered the walls.

But as we headed deeper inside the ground floor area, it felt a lot more similar to the old Victoria's Secret than we had first thought.

The lights may have been turned up but its signature pink, black, and white interior remained...

...as did its boudoir-like fitting rooms.

While we weren't expecting the interior to be completely redone, we were expecting to see the more toned-down lingerie that appeared in the windows to be front and center of the store.

Its signature push-up bras were in prime position but plus-size mannequins, maternity bras, and more casual underwear were nowhere to be seen.

As we headed to the staircase at the back of the store we noticed a major change.

As we headed up to the next floor, we were immediately greeted by a stand showcasing one of its partnerships with a British lingerie brand.

This was our first glimpse of its swimwear collection.

This area of the store was dedicated to its more laid-back styles, including athleisurewear.

We found a mix of sports bras and casual T-shirt bra styles here.

Next, we headed down to the bottom, and final, floor of the store.

While analysts have praised the mannequins as a more inclusive move, some shoppers say it's still falling short by not offering enough extended sizes.

The Pink brand was once the strongest part of Victoria's Secret's portfolio from a sales perspective. But around 2018, sales slipped at the brand and it was forced to lean on heavy discounting to shift stock.

At that time, other teen-focused brands such as American Eagle's Aerie started to take market share with more inclusive marketing and body-positive campaigns that resonated with young shoppers.

Pink is known for being a logo-heavy brand, something that analysts have said can be detrimental. If a brand stops being seen as trendy, shoppers no longer see the value in their logos and they spend elsewhere, for example.

Waters said tie-dye apparel was a big seller for the brand too. This was tactically positioned right at the front of the Pink store.

But bras and panties are still its bread and butter and there was a ton on display. More casual styles such as bralettes still had the Victoria's Secret spin, however, with the extra push-up.