Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret

Quick history

Victoria’s Secret was founded in 1977 in San Francisco as a lingerie brand aimed at making intimates feel approachable and aspirational for a mass audience. Rapid expansion in the 1980s and 1990s turned it into the dominant lingerie retailer in the U.S., known for mall stores, glossy catalogs, and later the highly publicized Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The brand shaped mainstream ideas of lingerie for decades, before facing cultural shifts around body image, inclusivity, and representation in the late 2010s.

Why it mattered

• It transformed lingerie into a mainstream retail category

• It influenced beauty, marketing, and fashion standards on a global scale

Why it shows up at Diversity

• Vintage and earlier-era pieces reflect changing ideas of femininity and glamour

• Resale allows intimate apparel to be recontextualized through personal expression rather than marketing ideals