Victoria's Secret is known for its catalogs and annual fashion show: the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

4. Victoria's Secret is credited with single-handedly transforming "America's conception of lingerie"[6] by pioneering "sexy underwear as fashion"and "lingerie mainstream entertainment."The societal manifestation is "the increased cultural acceptance of shopping for undies" in the United States.

In the early years, Victorias Secret imitated, or some might say, even faked a British cachet to the extent; it is reported, of giving the store a London address.

Since it's beginning Victoria's Secret has seen an astonishing growth rate, with annual sales exceeding $3 billion by the late 1990s. A 1998 survey rated it the nation's ninth-most recognised brand and the company's name has grown to be synonymous with romantic and stylish lingerie.

6. A key component for the accomplishments of Victoria's Secret is the fact that the company has such a wide remit. Grace Nichols, described the company as "a lifestyle business-and a fashion business, an integral part of our customers lives. We offer our customers glamour, beauty, fashion, and a little bit of romance. We know what fits women physically and emotionally."

Reception

By the 1990s Victoria's Secret had become a "mall destination" where woman went to "mimic Helena Christensen.

The Wall Street Journal in 1990 wrote that the Victoria Secret catalog whilst controversial had “pioneered sexy underwear as fashion”.

During the early 1990s the Wall Street Journal reported that "executives admit to carrying the catalog around with them to relieve the stress of busy days".

Competitors

In 1998 Gap launched a direct competitor to Victoria's Secret: GapBody.

In 2008 Women's Wear Daily reported that whilst "Victoria's Secret dominates" in the lingerie market "the competition is intensifying".

Victoria's Secret on Lexington Avenue, New York City,New York

Victoria Secret's operations are organized into three divisions: Victoria's Secret Direct (online and catalog operations), Victoria's Secret Stores (stores), and Victoria's Secret Beauty (their bath and cosmetics line). The company does business in the following retail formats: general merchandise stores, apparel stores.

During the 1990s Victoria's Secret saw a 30% increase in store sales after the use of analyzing in their data warehouse in which specific store the styles, sizes and color of which bras were selling. There are 1,000 Victoria's Secret lingerie stores and 100 independent Victoria's Secret Beauty Stores in the US, mostly in shopping centers. They sell a range of brassieres, panties, hosiery, cosmetics, sleepwear, and other products. Victoria's Secret mails more than 400 million of its catalogs per year.

Up until the early 2000 management at Victoria's Secret actively decided to not expand outside the United States.[35] The drive to continue growing coupled with facing a maturing of the American retail market led to a change in that decision and to expand Victoria's Secret outside the United States. Victoria's Secret announced the company's plan to expand into Canada in 2010. The company opened 23 stores stores in Canada with locations in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

In November 2005, the company opened its first boutique in the UK at Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5 with the help of World Duty Free. Victoria's Secret opened their first store located at the Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford, London on 24 July 2012. Their flagship store on New Bond Street, London. opened on August 29, 2012 and there will be further nationwide expansion across the UK. Victoria's Secret executive vice president and chief administrative officer Martyn R Redgrave told WWD "That's what we're looking to do as we expand, in the U.K. in particular, and those will be company-owned and operated."

International franchises

In 2012 Victoria Secret's expanded with franchises internationally.

The first franchise store in Latin America is going to be open in Bogota, Colombia, in July 2012 selling beauty products and accessories. Angel's Group, the Colombian company operating the franchise, is planning open 10 stores in Colombia. Victoria's Secret is also planning on opening a store in the exclusive Multiplaza Mall in San Salvador, El Salvador.

In 2010 M.H. Alshaya Co. opened the first Victoria's Secret store in the Middle East region in Bahrain Kuwait. M.H. Alshaya Co. operates the Victoria's Secret franchise located in the Marina Mall selling products including "cosmetic and branded accessories, but it has left out the brand's infamous lingerie line.

The Brand’s first Caribbeanstore opened in November 2011 at Plaza Las Americas in San Juan, Puerto Rico Two stores will also open in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic at the Agora (mainly selling beauty products and accessories) and Sambil Santo Domingomalls in August 2012 and October 2012, respectively.

The first Polish store is opening its doors in July 2012 at Złote Tarasy in Warsaw and will be operated by M.H. Alshaya Co. New Victoria's Secrets shop open in July 24, 2012. This will be the first Victoria's Secret franchise store in Europe, just a day before the new store in the United Kingdom. However, as this is a franchise store it sells just beauty and accessorieswhereas the London stores are the first company owned European stores and sell Victoria's Secret clothing.

Marketing Victoria's Secret

Over the course of Victoria’s Secret's evolution the company "has gone from being value-driven to creating a luxury- shopping experience and an aura of fashion associated with its product" which has been driven by marketing.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is an annual "elaborate marketing tool for Limited Brands". The show is a mix of "beautiful models scantily clad in lingerie" and A-list entertainers "And every year, it becomes less about fashion and more about show".

The company gained notoriety in the early 1990s after it began to use supermodels in its advertising and fashion shows. Throughout the past decade, it has turned down celebrity models and endorsements.

In 2004 Victoria's Secret featured Bob Dylan in an advertisement.