The lingerie giant is set to re-enter the market it exited in recent years with a new performance-focused collection. With a glossy new campaign featuring Gigi Hadid and Paloma Elsesser, American lingerie chain Victoria’s Secret has relaunched its activewear line, VSX, the company announced on Thursday. “Our top priority is to reclaim the sports bra market, and as the intimates market leader, we’re well positioned,” Johnson told BoF. “There’s still a lot of growth opportunities in sports bras, as it’s an underpenetrated market for us.”
According to Johnson, about one-fourth of Victoria’s Secret customers choose a sports bra as their primary bra. This finding led the retailer to launch its Featherweight Max sports bra last fall. The VSX collection will include new variations of the Featherweight Max as well as new sports bra options, such as a light support version.
Innovation is central to the VSX relaunch, said Johnson. Victoria’s Secret has been developing its own materials technology to create high-performance pieces suited for various impact levels.
A Pivotal Moment
The activewear launch comes at a critical time for Victoria’s Secret, which has long struggled to regain its relevance in the intimates category. While still the dominant player in the space, sales and profit have steadily declined over the years. In 2023, the company generated $6.2 billion in net sales, down from $6.3 billion the previous year and $7.4 billion in 2018. Last month, the company named former Savage X Fenty CEO Hillary Super as its new chief executive, effective September 9.
Facing steep competition in its primary category from the likes of Aerie and Skims, Victoria’s Secret is seeking a new revenue stream as it expands its activewear assortment. However, the activewear space is crowded, with Victoria’s Secret competing against performance giants like Nike and Lululemon as well as newcomers like Vuori and Alo Yoga.
Victoria’s Secret first entered the category over a decade ago but shifted its focus in recent years. At its peak, activewear generated $500 million in sales for the retailer, according to Greg Unis, brand president of Victoria’s Secret and Pink. Its share of the sports bra market fell from 16 percent to 4 percent, Unis told investors in a presentation last October.
This expansion is part of a broader strategy to diversify and elevate its product offerings, appealing to both fashion-forward and active customers, said Shawuan Johnson, senior vice president of merchandising at Victoria’s Secret.
The new collection features the VSX Sports Bra and leggings made with a new proprietary fabric, as well as more fashion-forward styles like trench coats and catsuits.
