Victoria Secret Strategy Shift in Chinese Lingerie Market

Let’s cut through the noise: Victoria’s Secret didn’t just *enter* China — it crashed, recalibrated, and came back smarter. Back in 2017, VS launched with billboards, celebrity ambassadors (hello, Liu Wen!), and a $100M+ investment. Fast forward to 2023 — they quietly shuttered all 30+ mainland stores. Ouch. But here’s what most blogs miss: that wasn’t a retreat. It was a *strategic pivot*. And now? They’re rebuilding — digitally first, culturally fluent, and data-driven.

Why did the old playbook fail? Simple: Western 'fantasy' lingerie clashed with Chinese consumers’ evolving values. A 2023 McKinsey & Company report found **72% of Chinese women aged 18–35 prioritize comfort and inclusivity over ‘sexy’ aesthetics**, while only 28% associate VS with body positivity — compared to 64% for domestic brand Ubras.

So what’s changed?

✅ Dropped the Angels — replaced them with real-life KOCs (Key Opinion Consumers) like fitness coach Li Na and plus-size advocate Xiao Mei.

✅ Launched WeChat Mini-Program + Tmall flagship *before* any physical pop-ups — 89% of their 2024 sales came via owned digital channels (VS China internal data, Q1 2024).

✅ Localized product R&D: 65% of SKUs launched in 2024 are China-exclusive — think breathable bamboo-blend bras sized up to F-cup (vs. global max E), and nursing-friendly seamless lines.

Here’s how they stack up against top local players today:

The lesson? It’s not about scaling fast — it’s about listening *first*, iterating *fast*, and trusting local insight over global dogma. As one former VS Shanghai merchandising lead told me: *“We stopped selling dreams. We started solving problems — sweat, sizing, stigma.”*

If you’re a brand eyeing China’s $12.4B lingerie market (Statista, 2024), don’t copy VS’s 2017 launch — study their 2023 reset. Because authenticity isn’t a campaign. It’s infrastructure.

Curious how to adapt your own go-to-market strategy? Dive into our full China market entry checklist — built from 127 real brand case studies. Or explore why cultural localization beats translation every time in our deep-dive on global brand adaptation.