Victoria’s Secret Cuts Jobs as Lingerie Giant Shifts Away From Iconic Catalog

Victoria’s Secret is cutting about 200 jobs as the lingerie business eliminates merchandise categories and shifts away from its famous catalog.

The company, owned by L Brands Inc., will be reorganized into units focused on lingerie, beauty and its Pink brand, according to a statement Thursday. Victoria’s Secret also plans to rely more on loyalty programs and other ways to connect with customers, rather than its traditional print mailings.

The move follows the abrupt departure of Victoria’s Secret Chief Executive Officer Sharen Jester Turney earlier this year after a decade at the helm. L Brands’ founder and CEO, the 78-year-old Les Wexner, is now directly in charge of Victoria’s Secret, his company’s biggest business. The leaders of the lingerie company’s three new business units will report directly to him.

In de-emphasizing the catalog, Victoria’s Secret is signaling that the glossy publication is no longer as effective a selling tool — another example of the Internet eroding print institutions. Even so, Victoria’s Secret sales exceeded predictions last month. They gained 2 percent on a same-store basis, the company said Thursday. Analysts had estimated 1.7 percent, according to Retail Metrics.

The job cuts will affect workers in the New York and Columbus, Ohio, areas, the company said.

“These changes are necessary for our industry-leading brands to reach their significant potential,” Wexner said in the statement. “Nonetheless, decisions about people are the most difficult ones to make.”

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UP minister draws flak for distributing cosmetics, lingerie at Holi function

Uttar Pradesh’s minister of state for religious affairs Vijay Kumar Mishra has found himself in the middle of a controversy for distributing women’s cosmetics and lingerie as gifts to men during a Holi function organised.

The incident took place in Ghazipur where Rajya Sanyukt Karmachari Parishad, a government employees’ union, organised an event to celebrate Holi and invited Mishra as the chief guest on the occasion on Monday.

Ten employees were selected through a lottery for prize distribution in the all-male gathering. However, when they employees opened their gifts they were shocked to find women’s cosmetics and lingerie inside.

Puzzled, some of them began to throw the items inside the gift pack – lipstick, ‘bindi’, mascara and lingerie – at their colleagues. Some of the employees present on the occasion have made a video clip of the event.

Mishra, under attack from the opposition and women’s rights activists, claimed he received an invitation as the chief guest to play Holi and was not aware of the items inside the gift pack.

“The act was disrespectful towards women and the state government should immediately seek the minister’s resignation,” BJP’s media in charge for eastern UP Sanjay Bhardwaj said.

Beti Bachao campaign’s coordinator for Kashi region Rachna Agarwal slammed Mishra saying he insulted women and should apologise.

“Whether the minister was aware of the items inside the gift packs or not is irrelevant. He should apologise to the public for distributing such gifts and hurting women’s sentiments. Being a minister he should have checked the gifts before distributing. Action should be taken against all those involved in arranging the gifts,” Agarwal said.

“People should abstain from this kind of celebration. Holi is a pious festival and cheap practices like these are an insult to women,” she added.

District president of the employees’ union and organiser of the event, Ambika Dubey, defended it as a regular event.

“The practice of distributing such gifts is being followed since 2013. The event should not be taken seriously. It was done to add humour to the festive atmosphere and no female was present on the occasion,” Dubey said.

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