Feminism: chat
Victoria's Secret campaign features first model with Down syndrome
GenderNo · 18/02/2022 12:43
This really doesn't sit right with me given some of the company's values and past campaigns:
edition.cnn.com/style/article/victorias-secret-sofia-jirau-love-cloud-campaign
This week, 24-year-old model Sofia Jirau became the first person with Down syndrome to appear in a campaign for Victoria's Secret.
The Puerto Rican model appeared alongside 17 other women to promote the new all-day-comfort Love Cloud collection, which the brand hopes will "reinforc(e) Victoria's Secret's commitment to welcoming and celebrating all women," according to a press statement.
The group is made up of both professional and non-professional models, of all different skin tones, body sizes, and ages. Famous faces like Hailey Bieber, Taylor Hill and Adut Akech join Celilo Miles, an Indigenous wildland firefighter who poses with her helmet and Sylvia Buckler, an accessory designer and mom who holds her pregnancy bump in her portrait. Valentina Sampaio, who became the lingerie brand's first openly transgender model in 2019, is also in the campaign.
LaBellina · 18/02/2022 12:49
They use all sorts of women and a trans woman now to gain back the market share they lost when they held up for years the ideal that their type of customers were women with an - in the eyes of society - perfect body. Reinforcing the idea with their shows, models they choose for their catalogs etc. Luckily women came to their senses, voted with their feet and now they try to pretend that they’re the most diversity supporting fashion company ever. Fake and it’s obvious that they’re just doing it for the money. They do not give a fuck about how their influence excluded the majority of women and their bodies for years. I wouldn’t want to be used by them as a model for promoting their new found, fake ideals but don’t blame the models who do because it can really help their careers. But I still won’t be buying from them. Their stuff is overpriced and ugly anyway.
lapasion · 18/02/2022 13:54
@LaBellina
All of this. I remember when their annual shows came around there was always fawning media coverage of the models and their dangerous diets and insane exercise regimes. Then a few years ago, diversity became cool in the fashion industry, and the were criticised for a few years before caving in before deciding that actually, their brand was all about inclusiveness and women feeling good etc. It’s so cynical.
I’ve been to VS once in my life and they didn’t stock my bra size. They tried to sell me the next size down, which was really uncomfortable and the experience of shopping there was awful. Looking online, they still haven’t expanded their sizes. So, here’s a crazy idea. Instead of harping on about inclusiveness, why don’t they make their brand more accessible? Especially those who have unusual sizes that are hard to find? They are lingerie specialists after all.
BobbinHood · 18/02/2022 13:56
@LaBellina
All of this. I hate aggressive capitalism dressed up as “diversity” and “progress” - it’s just what they think is the best way to make money from us now.
PegasusReturns · 18/02/2022 14:02
I felt very uncomfortable about it.
I was in VS recently (first time) and was surprised at the number of crotchless knickers and bondage style attire. It was far more sexualised than I was aware.
The only people I know with downs would really not be able to consent to sexual relationships so I found that element deeply disconcerting although I accept that is not true for all people with downs and I have no idea re this particular model.
It just felt very off.
Ncwinc · 18/02/2022 14:13
’All of this. I remember when their annual shows came around there was always fawning media coverage of the models and their dangerous diets and insane exercise regimes. Then a few years ago, diversity became cool in the fashion industry, and the were criticised for a few years before caving in before deciding that actually, their brand was all about inclusiveness and women feeling good etc. It’s so cynical.’
This. Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty used models of all shapes, sizes and skin colours from the start and has included models with physical disabilities. That’s an ethos. They still want you to buy lacy red butt floss but they’ve gone out of their way to make lacy red butt floss inclusive and accessible to all.
LaBellina · 18/02/2022 15:14
Their models in the past were actually REQUIRED to have a BMI under 18.5 (so medically underweight). Given the fact that these women had to be in great shape too and not just skinny I can safely assume that their fat percentage would be even (dangerously) lower then those who have the same BMI but don’t go to the gym to tone up. Most of them very obviously had breast implants too. Now I’m not trying to shame anyone who’s underweight or has breast implants but I do want to say that’s not a healthy standard to promote that you HAVE to be underweight otherwise you’re not good enough to be a lingerie model but please we do like big boobs so go get some plastic surgery so us men don’t lose out on that part. Because let’s be honest, the Victoria’s Secret Show was not for their female customers but for the male gaze. Their biggest event only made me as a once customer, feel inadequate (and I’m sure many other women with me) because I will never ever look like that.
GrumpyPanda · 18/02/2022 15:19
@LaBellina
Ah but you see their target customer group wasn't ever women in the first place, but rather, dudes buying sexualised tat to inflict on the women in their life.
LaBellina · 18/02/2022 15:24
Is that so? I had a female friend who LOVED the brand and paid like £90 or something for a hideous cheap looking bra. My sister once gave me a thong from them for my birthday and acted like it was the Holy Grail she had just gifted me. I thought it was mostly women who were enamored with their stuff 
MalagaNights · 18/02/2022 15:31
"They're just doing it for the money" 🤣🤣🤣
You think?? 🤣
I thought they were selling underwear to improve the world.
I did see an ad today with a young women with down syndrome dancing, I think with her mother, and I think advertising sports bras.
It was great actually. Really made me smile.
They were doing it for the money though.
Alonelonelylonersbadidea · 18/02/2022 16:20
There's a lot of 'they did this' on this thread. Maybe they've changed? Learnt something? Maybe.
FWIW I only ever went in VS once in 2004 and bought the best bra of my life. I should've bought 2 or more. I probably won't go in there again.
Of course this is a money making exercise but that's what companies are for
SleepingStandingUp · 18/02/2022 16:38
Assuming the statement is actually from the model, she seems capable of understanding what she's doing, rather than a vulnerable person being pushed into something exploitative by their carer. I'm not sure people who don't know her have the right to decide if she has capacity to pick her own work
TerribleCustomerCervix · 18/02/2022 16:39
If it was an M&S or adidas/Nike sports bra I’d feel differently, but VS so obviously prioritises the sexualisation of its models, I feel really uncomfortable about this.
The model is stunning, but it’s just like no woman is free from being sexed up for the benefit of the men looking at their marketing materials 🤢
lapasion · 18/02/2022 16:55
Ah but you see their target customer group wasn't ever women in the first place, but rather, dudes buying sexualised tat to inflict on the women in their life.
To be fair, I think their biggest range is Pink. When I was at uni, their tracksuits were a huge trend, and they did pjs, cheap perfume etc. They also do sporty, basic pants and bras. But yes, the tacky stuff is no doubt designed to bring men into the store to buy for their partners, and that’s the stuff that brings attention to the brand.
Elfsumflowerpig · 19/02/2022 04:30
@TerribleCustomerCervix
The model is stunning, but it’s just like no woman is free from being sexed up for the benefit of the men looking at their marketing materials 🤢
This. Exactly this. Thank you for stating so clearly what I was feeling.
garlictwist · 19/02/2022 04:44
@LaBellina
Are they "fake ideals" though? Perhaps they have realised times have changed and are doing so accordingly? VS certainly weren't the only company to uphold stick thin women as the feminine ideal. It's a good thing they are now changing. Isn't it?
LaBellina · 19/02/2022 11:13
They were pretty notorious for being very extreme about it @garlictwist. For example demanding that each of their models had a BMI of less then 18.5 no matter her size (many fashion brands do not care about BMI, eg they just want a person with a waist of an X size) Victoria’s Secret went as far as demanding their models were officially medically underweight. IMO that goes further then just hiring models in a certain (small size) like other brands. That’s so toxic that IMO no coming back from that. They actively promoted an officially dangerous beauty ideal for years. I think as such an influential and big brand they have a responsibility towards society and they choose to promote an ideal that is impossible to obtain for many unless you have an eating disorder.
Ncwinc · 19/02/2022 16:22
When you had supermodels going on mad liquid diet and exercise regimes to meet their standards for ‘angels’ and the brand happy to have that discussed as a positive thing you’ve gone way beyond the norm even for fashion. Thin wasn’t enough - they had to be stick thin and incredibly toned with hints of muscle - but not muscly because that would be unattractive 
. They talked about ‘earning’ wings.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/nov/22/victorias-secret-show-angels-lingerie
Even in an industry of body fascism they stood out.
teezletangler · 19/02/2022 16:34
What is people's discomfort with this? Trying to understand. Is it about VS, or the sexualisation of someone with an intellectual disability? VS is a shit company but I don't see a difference between her modeling for VS or any other dubious corporate entity (Primark?). DS is on a spectrum and this woman seems to be very mildly affected intellectually and developmentally. I don't think we can assume she is being exploited.
Regularsizedrudy · 19/02/2022 16:38
@teezletangler
People don’t like when disabled people express they have a sex like because it means they can’t infantilise them in a horribly patronising pitying way.
violetmonster · 19/02/2022 16:46
@PegasusReturns
I was in VS recently (first time) and was surprised at the number of crotchless knickers and bondage style attire. It was far more sexualised than I was aware.
The only people I know with downs would really not be able to consent to sexual relationships so I found that element deeply disconcerting although I accept that is not true for all people with downs and I have no idea re this particular model.
It just felt very off.
This comment doesn't sit well with me. DS is a spectrum and plenty of people with it are sexual people who can engage and consent in sexual activity. The idea that no one with DS can sexualise themselves based on this personal experiences seems very infantilising to me.
If people have issue with Victoria secret as a brand, more power to you, as do I.
People taking issue with this particular model based on her disability? Ableist
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