# Selling Sexy: Victoria's Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon - Hardcover

by **Lauren Sherman** (Author), **Chantal Fernandez** (Author)

**The story of how Victoria's Secret skyrocketed from a tiny chain of boutiques to a retail phenomenon with more than $8 billion in annual sales at its peak--all while defining an impossible beauty standard for generations of American women--before the brand's tight grip on the industry finally slipped**

Victoria's Secret is one of the most influential and polarizing brands to ever infiltrate the psyche of the American consumer. Almost right at its start in the late 1970s, the company developed a cult following for its glamorous catalogs. Back then, shoppers had few alternatives to the stodgy department stores that sold most of the nation's intimate apparel. By 1982, the founders of Victoria's Secret avoided bankruptcy by selling to Les Wexner, the fast-fashion pioneer behind the Limited, whose empire of mall brands would go on to dominate American retail for forty years.

Wexner turned Victoria's Secret into a multibillion-dollar business, and the brand's cultural influence soared thanks to its airbrushed advertisements and annual televised fashion show, which drew millions of viewers each year. Its supermodel spokeswomen, the sweet but sultry Angels, personified a new American beauty standard.

But as our definition of beauty expanded, Victoria's Secret failed to evolve and reached a crisis point. Meanwhile, Wexner became increasingly known for his complicated relationship with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, his former financial adviser and confidant.

_Selling Sexy_ expertly draws from sources within Victoria's Secret and across the industry to examine the unprecedented rise of one of the most innovative brands in retail history--a brand that today, under new ownership, is desperately trying to seduce shoppers again.

### Author Biography

**Lauren Sherman** has been reporting from inside the fashion industry for more than fifteen years. Now a special correspondent at _Puck_, she was the _Business of Fashion_'s chief correspondent, and before that a staff reporter at _Forbes_. She has contributed to the _Wall Street Journal_ and the _New York Times_, as well as _Fast Company_, _Women's Health_, and the _Gentlewoman_. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

**Chantal Fernandez** is a writer covering fashion, retail, luxury, and beauty with a focus on business and culture. Her work has appeared in the _Financial Times_, the _New York Times_, _Elle_, and the _Business of Fashion_. She is currently a features writer for _The Cut_ at _New York_ magazine. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband.

**Number of Pages:** 320

**Dimensions:** 1.11 x 9.65 x 6.41 IN

**Publication Date:** October 08, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 29.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 29.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Selling Sexy: Victoria's Secret and the Unraveling of an American Icon - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/selling-sexy-victorias-secret-and-the-unraveling-of-an-american-icon-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-23