ThirdLove Responds to Ed Razek, CMO of Victoria's Secret

In a recent Vogue interview, Razek suggested that people did not want to see larger models on the Victoria's Secret podium.

"We tried to make a special TV show for plus sizes (in 2000). Nobody was interested, still not, "he said.

He also said that in his opinion, transgender women should not participate in shows. (He has since apologized for this comment on Twitterand made it clear that he would go well with the cast of transgender models.)

Razek also seemed to be kicking at ThirdLove, which specializes in women's lingerie of all shapes and sizes.

"We are no one's third love. We are their first love, "said Razek." And Victoria's Secret is the first love of women since the beginning. "

Zak fought back with an announcement of a page written as an open letter to Victoria's Secret in the New York Times.

"How, in 2018, can the CMO of a publicly traded company – let alone the one that claims to be a women's business – make such shocking and pejorative statements?" She wrote. "You sell to men and sell a male fantasy to women. … Your show may be a "fantasy" but we live in reality. Our reality is that women wear bras in real life when they go to work, breastfeed their children, play sports, take care of their sick parents and serve their country. "

"Have we not gone beyond outdated ideas about femininity and gender roles?" She added. "It's time to stop telling women what makes them sexy – let us decide – we're done with the assumption that some sizes do not exist or are not important enough to serve." please, stop insisting that inclusivity is a trend. "

TODAY HUI Style has contacted Victoria's Secret for comments and will update this post if we have the answer.

Zak co-founded ThirdLove in 2013 and since then the e-commerce brand has gained a loyal following by offering a wide range of lingerie sizes, including half-sizes for bras.

After Zak posted the open letter on Instagram, many fans thanked her for her inclusive message, including women who became ThirdLove customers after reading her letter.

"Thank you for speaking on behalf of so many women who think the same thing about it!" Commented a woman.

"Never heard of @thirdlove before that, but I'll place an order this month," wrote another speaker. "Thank you for this letter!"

"Buying new underwear," said another woman. "You just made me a customer for life."

Even before Razek's controversial comments, Victoria's Secret has been criticized in recent years for not having represented a wide range of body types on catwalks and ad campaigns.

Zak says that she created her company partly in response to this lack of inclusivity.

"ThirdLove is the antithesis of Victoria's Secret. We believe that the future will create a brand for every woman, regardless of her form, size, age, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, "she wrote in her open letter. . "It should not be considered revolutionary, it should be the norm."

And she had one last word for Razek, responding to her apparent search on behalf of her company.

"As you said Ed," We are no one's third love, we are the first love, "she writes. "We are flattered for this mention, but let me be clear: we may not have been the first love of a woman, but we will be the last."