Victoria’s Secret is one of the world’s largest lingerie brands, with a global network of more than 1,300 stores and a dominant share of the intimates market. Known for decades as the defining U.S. lingerie retailer, the brand cultivated a hyper-sexualized marketing image that excluded plus-size and transgender representation, contributing to long-running criticism of misogyny, body shaming, and cultural appropriation.
While the company has attempted to shift its image in recent years by introducing broader size ranges, new ambassadors, and canceling its fashion show, the legacy of toxic corporate culture and narrow beauty standards continues to shape its reputation.
On sourcing, Victoria’s Secret contracts production through Delta Galil and affiliated suppliers, linking the brand to an Israeli company documented by the United Nations for commercial activity in illegal West Bank settlements. In Israel, its retail stores are franchised to Delta Israel, further embedding financial ties with a supplier operating within the settlement economy.
Alongside these political and human rights concerns, Victoria’s Secret’s supply chain has faced labor controversies in Asia, including the widely publicized case of Thai factory workers who were denied severance until a global campaign forced the company to contribute $8.3 million in compensation.
Victoria’s Secret’s impact stems from both systemic labor risks and direct ties to occupation-linked suppliers. The brand contracts production through Delta Galil affiliates, including Bogart Group and Delta Galil Vietnam, embedding it in a supply chain documented by the United Nations for commercial activity in Israeli settlements. In Israel, its retail stores are franchised to Delta Israel, which operates outlets tied to the settlement economy. These relationships create a financial and operational bridge between Victoria’s Secret sales and infrastructure sustaining the occupation.
Labor rights concerns further compound the risk profile. The company has been implicated in wage theft and sudden factory closures in Asia, most notably when Thai garment workers were left without severance until global campaigns pressured Victoria’s Secret to release $8.3 million in compensation. The episode illustrates both the harms inherent in its supply chain and the degree to which consumer pressure can shift outcomes.
The brand’s exposure, therefore, is twofold: ongoing supply chain exploitation common to fast fashion, and the unique political complicity of relying on a manufacturer entrenched in settlement commerce. Boycott campaigns aim to force disengagement from Delta Galil or compel Victoria’s Secret to provide enforceable guarantees excluding settlement-linked production and retail operations.