Lingerie Rival Snaps Back At Victoria’s Secret In Full-Page Newspaper Ads

A nasty war of words has broken out in the lingerie industry in the US and it’s angry G-strings at 10 paces.

Raunchy brand Victoria’s Secret kicked off the lacy ding-dong after a controversial interview with is CMO, Ed Razek (below), appeared in the latest edition of US Vogue.

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Among some of his more unsavoury comments, Razek said transgender and plus-sized models shouldn’t be part of Victoria’s Secret’s famous runway shows.

“We attempted to do a television special for plus-sizes [in 2000]. No one had any interest in it, still don’t,” Razek told Vogue. “It’s like, why doesn’t your show do this? Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy.”

Razek then took aim at his more conservative rival, a brand called ThirdLove. “We’re nobody’s ThirdLove, we’re their first love,” he declared.

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However, ThirdLove’s co-CEO Heidi Zak (above) wasn’t buying in to Razek’s jibes, penning an open letter to Victoria’s Secret expressing her disappointment, among other things, of how the racy brand portrays women’s body image.

Zak’s letter became a full-page ad and just appeared in The New York Times.

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“I was appalled when I saw the demeaning comments about women your chief marketing officer, Ed Razek, made to Vogue last week,” Zak wrote at the start of her letter, which is now being shared across social media.

“How in 2018 can the CMO of any public company – let alone one that claims to be for women – make such shocking, derogatory statements?

“You market to men and sell a male fantasy to women,” Zak added. “But at ThirdLove, we think beyond, as you said, a ‘42-minute entertainment special’.

“Our reality is that women wear bras in real life as they go to work, breastfeed their children, play sports, care for ailing parents, and serve their country. Haven’t we moved beyond outdated ideas of femininity and gender roles?”

“It’s time to stop telling women what makes them sexy – let us decide.

“We believe the future is building a brand for every woman, regardless of her shape, size, age, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation. This shouldn’t be seen as groundbreaking, it should be the norm.

“To all women everywhere, we see you, and we hear you. Your reality is enough.”

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