I was watching a recently published video by 60 minutes Australia where super model – Bridget Malcolm – exposes the devilish side of being a Victoria’s Secret angel. I'll let you watch the video and leave any interpretations surrounding the culture of harm salient throughout the sexiest show on earth up to you but first, I want to introduce the brand as a starting point for a thought experiment I went down after watching it myself.
In the video I was surprised to learn that the now-resigned but previous owner of VS was a man (and coincidentally Les Wexner was also reportedly a friend of Jeffery Epstein). Though depending on who you ask being a man and owning a lingerie company isn't on its own controversial, I believe the culture instituted by a man run company is.
Have you ever bought anything from VS? I know that anytime I've made a purchase there, it's been under the lure of "buy it to feel sexy". Though I rarely wear anything other than a sports bra, when I do, it's been VS. I've strapped on the lacey lingerie because I thought being uncomfortable, enduring chafing perma wedgie all day and having two perfectly round oranges on my chest would make me sexy and in so feel sexy.
Here's the kicker, IT WORKED.
So I would make it rain, dropping 70 bucks on a bra that I would wear once a month at best and 20 on underwear that would sit in the drawer waiting to be put on for the special occasion that never came or came with disappointment.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
Men are running companies which sell sexy; we let men dictate what makes us feel sexy, so much so that even when I buy it "for myself", I'm buying it on the narrative of a man's idea of what is sexy.
Rather than buying something that I inherently feel good, sporty (in my case), comfortable and myself in- which arguably makes me feel the most sexy, most in tune with myself, I buy the opposite because someone else convinced us that's what is desirable.
And then it's no wonder our body image is f*cked, because rather than freeing ourselves we are strapping ourselves into a bullshit image created by someone who hasn't got a clue about what it's like to be a woman, only what he wants in one.
So that's my rant. That's my inspiration for RAWR. Creating something for women by women! No more adding pink to a man's idea of what will work for women but embracing women as they are and building them up through products.
If you have any ideas on this topic, want to share your voice, help us create a culture, products or even present counter points, please get in touch!
Also for a laugh, and more VS ranting, watch this.
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