Lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret has unveiled two new brand ambassadors from Asia.
The appointment of actors Yang Mi (feature image) and Zhou Dongyu (pictured below) is atypical for the struggling retailer, who usually uses models to represent the brand.
The appointments follow the sale of Victoria’s Secret to a private equity firm in $US525 million ($AU793m) deal earlier this year.
Owner of Victoria’s Secret, L Brands, sold 55 per cent of the company to Sycamore Partners, with L Brands taking control of the remaining 45 per cent. However, Victoria’s Secret will be spun off into a fully private company.
The lingerie brand has come under fire in recent times for being out-of-touch with the modern consumer.
In November 2019, Victoria’s Secret annual fashion was been axed amid falling sales and the struggle to generate any interest in the catwalk spectacle.
The appointment of two actors from Asia appears to signal the brand’s desire to move away from its overtly sexualised image and embrace diversity.
Yang is one of China’s most successful and highest-paid actors. She said her coming on as a brand ambassador was part of a reshaping of its image: “Through a completely new interpretation, I want to make sexiness a natural expression in life, and it to become a more positive and beneficial force.”
Zhou, a film and TV star, will also be the new face of the brand in China.
