Press Release

Victoria's Secret & Co. Takes Strides to Support Women with Disabilities – From Adaptive Fashion Partnerships to New Product Line

At Victoria’s Secret & Co., we know that diversity, equity and inclusion is everything. We strive to welcome and celebrate diverse backgrounds, identities and perspectives by creating spaces and products that allow individuals to thrive.

People with disabilities (PWDs) are one of the most underrepresented and underserved minority groups in the world. As a global brand and workforce, VS&Co has a responsibility to connect with, listen to and empower people with disabilities, caregivers and their allies to drive meaningful change within the global fashion industry. 

Victoria’s Secret and PINK Launches Adaptive

In our continued journey to transform as a brand, we realized our products weren’t catering to a large demographic that could and should be a part of what we offer as a brand. Now, we’ve taken action to change that.

We took the fashion, comfort and quality of our best-selling Body by Victoria and Wear Everywhere collections, collaborated and tested with people with disabilities, and transformed them into functional, adaptive products that instill confidence and independence to those wearing them. The line of Adaptive bras and panties feature:

• Magnetic closures for ease of putting on and taking off
• Soft, sensory-friendly fabric
• One-piece construction with a smoothing back wing
• Fully adjustable and convertible front straps
• Bikini silhouette with mid-rise coverage

The products will be available in select stores and online beginning October 17, 2023, marking the first major intimates brand ever to offer adaptive products in select stores. VS Adaptive bras are available in cups B-G and bands 32-44, and VS Adaptive panties are available in XS-XXL. PINK’s Adaptive bras are available in cups A-DDD and bands 32-42, and PINK’s Adaptive panties are available in sizes XS-XXL. Victoria’s Secret and PINK Adaptive intimates start at $16.50 for panties, and $36.95 for bras.

GAMUT Seal of Approval™

Victoria’s Secret and PINK are the first intimate brands to earn the GAMUT Seal of Approval™ for intimates - the only certification in the market that signifies authenticity and inclusion of people with disabilities in the development and marketing of adaptive products and services, further reinforcing the brand’s commitment and dedication to creating products for all women.

Partnering with GAMUT Management and Runway of Dreams

We’re incredibly honored to have launched VS & PINK Adaptive by closely partnering with industry experts and changemakers at GAMUT Management, a trailblazing consulting, talent and accreditation company exclusively working with and for people with disabilities, as well as Runway of Dreams, a non-profit organization that works toward a future of inclusion, acceptance and opportunity in the fashion industry for people with disabilities.

Through these critical partnerships, VS&Co has been working to better understand the needs of people with disabilities through focus groups, consumer insights, wear test programs and more. We are committed to continually exploring new ways to best meet the needs of all customers. 

We value the incredibly important work these organizations are doing to empower people with disabilities with confidence and self-expression through inclusive fashion and experiences and are proud of this vital partnership that paves the way for VS&Co to create a truly inclusive product line.

Launching our Inclusion Resource Group, ADAPT  

In 2022, we also launched ADAPT (Abled and Disabled Partnering Together), our Inclusion Resource Group (IRG) for associates with disabilities, allies and caregivers. ADAPT was a critical step into true inclusion and ensuring we are first connecting with and supporting our internal VS&Co community.

ADAPT was designed to create a safe and empathetic environment where associates with disabilities, caregivers and allies can openly discuss issues they face at work and at home. The group promotes inclusion and accessibility throughout the employment life cycle by advocating, celebrating and educating about the needs of the disability community.

VS&Co on Adaptive 

As we continue to innovate and focus on expanding into the adaptive industry, it’s important for us to share our journey, experiences and insights with other retailers, experts and people with disabilities in the industry through conferences, panels and discussion groups. To date, we are thrilled to have had representation at:

National Retail Conference 

At the National Retail Conference, Chief Diversity Officer Lydia Smith participated in a panel discussion about the future of adaptive with the CEO of Runway of Dreams Foundation, and GAMUT Management, Mindy Scheier. During the event, panelists shared information about trends, the importance of offering adaptive styles, how other retailers can get started and more. 

Runway of Dream’s Getting Intimate with Disability Panel 

Runway of Dreams invited Chief Diversity Officer Lydia Smith and Ursula Todaro, Director of Design, to attend an exclusive panel discussion with media, influencers and members of the disability community to have an open discussion on inclusivity within the context of intimate apparel, developing adaptive products and body confidence. 

Runway of Dreams Fashion Show: Debuting VS & PINK Adaptive

In the culmination of a year’s long partnership with the Runway of Dreams Foundation and GAMUT Management to help develop the new products, we debuted our first-ever adaptive products at the Runway of Dreams Fashion show during New York Fashion Week. 

We’re proud to see these inclusive products represented at one of the world’s most influential fashion events of the year, inspiring the latest style and cultural trends while furthering our commitment to welcome, celebrate and support all customers.

“We’ve been lucky enough to work with Victoria’s Secret and PINK for the past year, as it was really important for the team at Victoria’s Secret to understand who this woman was and why she needed this product. They went on a journey of listening, learning, and then developing beautiful, functional products based on direct consumer feedback. Women with disabilities have to be involved in every step of the value chain, and Victoria’s Secret and PINK have done this authentically.” Mindy Scheier, CEO of GAMUT Management.

“The journey and the development of the product wasn’t 100% where it needed to be in the beginning—I'm going to be honest. We needed to go back, we needed to make tweaks. Partnering with GAMUT, asking the questions, and having the open conversations with women with disabilities allowed us to get to those corrections and put forward a great product.” Ursula Todaro, AVP of Design at VS&Co.