Robyn Lawley: 'Do we forgive and forget Victoria's Secret putting unattainable beauty on a pedestal?'

OPINION -- I've got a song stuck in my head of late. It sings:

"God, I wish somebody would've told me / When I was younger that all bodies aren't the same / Photoshop, itty bitty models on magazine covers / Told me I was overweight

"I stopped eating, what a bummer / Can't have carbs and a hot girl summer / If I could go back and tell myself / When I was younger, I'd say, psst

"I know Victoria's secret / And girl, you wouldn't believe / She's an old man who lives in Ohio / Making money off of girls like me

"Cashing in on body issues / Selling skin and bones with big boobs / I know Victoria's secret / She was made up by a dude (dude) / Victoria was made up by a dude (dude)."

Victoria was made up by a dude.

Listen to the song in the video above.

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Singer Jax's popular tune Victoria's Secret has gone viral and is now playing on the radio, cementing the feelings of many. 

When I look back on my teenage years, I can witness the pedestal Victoria's Secret created, in my mind and in the minds of many. A new unattainable 'beauty' that seemed so revered 'she' donned angel wings.

Jax also released a video not long after saying she had no intentions of bringing down a company, they were just her personal thoughts. Victoria's Secret has since released an apology after the music video and has asked its consumers what they can do better.

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In 2018, I demanded Victoria's Secret use a curvier body in their annual show, via a petition, and I garnered over 10,000 signatures and yet, Victoria's Secret did not use any curvier models in their annual, glorified, parade.

This was after former Victoria's Secret Chief Marketing Officer Ed Razek had made the comment that they would never use a plus size model or trans model because they were trying to sell "a fantasy."

My first trip to New York I shopped at Victoria's Secret, I was blown away by the mega store in Times Square as a young Australian model. They also sold my size, which actually surprised me, as most lingerie retailers did not. I was excited, I could wear Victoria's Secret. It also had given me hope as a model. They stocked my size, maybe they would show it on that spectacular runway?

Through the course of my career, witnessing such change happening within the fashion world, I was disappointed to see Victoria's Secret revert the opposite way. The models were getting younger and slimmer, if that was even possible, both on the runway and in print.

And they never used a curvier model on the catwalk. They insisted on selling that fantasy of exclusion.

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Since cancelling the shows and suffering heavy sales decline and backlash from founder Leslie Wexner's ties to Jeffrey Epstein via television series Angels and Demons, they have completely rebranded.

Don't feel too sorry for them, the 'dude' in Jax's song just made more than $US2 billion pre-tax (approx. $3.1 billion). Wexner sold 30 million of his shares of the company he created in 2021, and he still owns about two per cent. The company itself has split from L Brands (the parent retail company founded by Wexner) and is publicly traded under VSCO (Victoria's Secret & Co).

How responsible are brands to worry about their impact on young men and women?

As a size 12 to 14 model, I was disappointed to never see the diversity of a curvier model wear Victoria's Secret wings down that epic runway, and just using the simple method of inclusion to show acceptance.

Now, Victoria's Secret have surprisingly gotten rid of the 'Victoria Secret Angels' in favour of a new narrative called VS Collective: where they partner with seven notable women of different backgrounds to help shape the brand. 

For Victoria's Secret right now, is it simply sales-related?

Social media has increased the power of the consumer. We have shown that through collective action we can finally force these exploitive companies to reform. It is no secret that the consumer of late has changed and the current trend is geared towards owning who you are and asking how the product is made. * Insert applause *

But, even through such heavy losses in the marketplace, Victoria's Secret still dominate the space. It is nice to see a company at least try a rebrand in favour of what women supposedly want.

Do we forgive and forget? Shop there? Will I shop there? Perhaps, as I age I'm more about the product itself and how it's made and what it's made from. The ethical and environmental world of fashion is incredibly disconcerting – how your garment is made matters, but more importantly by what fabrics. Especially when it comes to underwear. So much of our past fashion items unfortunately end up in landfill, and then often sold to other countries to deal with, or worse, our oceans.

I am glad however to see change happen within Victoria's Secret's advertising. I know at least when my daughter sees those billboards, she won't just see one type of body, she'll see diversity.

Anyone needing support with eating disorders or body image issues is encouraged to contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 or support@butterfly.org.au.