Victoria’s Secret Is Bucking the Bra Trend

For Victoria’s Secret, sex sells. That may seem obvious, but the multibillion-dollar lingerie industry has been headed in a different direction of late. Now, as the mother of all underwear labels tries to figure out how best to keep women coming back to its lace-filled stores, it’s doubling down on the sexy bras that made it big in the first place.

Chief Executive Officer Jan Singer, the former Spanx head who moved to Victoria’s Secret last year, outlined her plan to reinvigorate the brand for parent L Brands Inc. She faces increased competition as more clothing retailers dive into the lingerie business: Stores from hipster staple Urban Outfitters to fast-fashion powerhouse Forever 21 are trying to cash in on a craze for airy, less-fortified bras called “bralettes.” Earlier this month, shares of L Brands fell to a six-year low on weak profit forecasts and its report that same-store sales for Victoria’s Secret dropped 14 percent in the latest quarter.