Amidst controversy surrounding comments made by chief marketing officer Ed Razek, Victoria’s Secret CEO Jan Singer resigned Wednesday morning. Whether or not her resignation was prompted by the comments made by fellow executive or rather by more general decreased sales and dissatisfaction, Victoria’s Secret as a company needs to re-evaluate their core values and their leadership, perhaps hiring people whose core values align with both the company and the public’s values.
Razek stated in an interview with Vogue that she didn’t believe the show would ever need to feature transgender models “Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is.”
Further, Razek made it clear that in his mind, the brand doesn’t need or want to feature plus-sized models in a show, explaining that “We attempted to do a television special for plus-sizes [in 2000]. No one had any interest in it, still don’t.” While other brands across the fashion and beauty industries have embraced both diversity and body positivity, Victoria’s Secret seems to be clinging to traditional non-inclusive fashion shows and philosophies.
Just carrying a wide range of sizes doesn’t make a company inclusive or diverse; instead, companies in the fashion industry need to embrace every type of body and the beauty within individuality. Singer has been with Victoria’s Secret since September 2016, following her CEO role at Spanx. Currently, there has been no news of who her replacement will be.