Transphobia Is Bad For Business- Victoria's Secret Closing 53 Locations

Looks like the controversial comments of CMO Ed Razek have hurt Victoria's Secret's business.

Its parent company L Brands announced Wednesday that 53 locations across North America are being closed because of declining sales and store performance.  The fourth quarter 2018 sales were only $1,849,300 versus the fourth quarter 2017 sales of $2.038, 300 dollars. 

The 2019 store closure numbers are triple their average.   According to Bloomberg, the average is about 15 store closures per year, and 20 were closed in 2018.

Vickie's was having problems before Razek exacerbated the problems by opening his mouth and letting something transphobic come out of it.

That triggered a call for a boycott of the lingerie retailer by the trans community that looks like it is being joined by our allies.

In addition to the problems with Victoria's Secret's sales revenue, the viewership number for the 2018 edition of the Victoria's Secret  Fashion Show have also taken a nosedive.

Only 3.27 million viewers tuned in last year, which are the worst numbers ever for the show ever since it started its broadcast run.    For comparison, in 2017 there were 4.98 million people who tuned in to watch the show.

However, it wasn't all bad business news for Vickie's Secret.   Their online sales went up 8% . 

Wonder if Razek and company are considering adding a few trans and full figured models to the 2019 televised show in the wake of these numbers?    I know a few trans models who would love to rip your runway, but you'll need to call them before they get booked for fall New York Fashion Week

It's once again another concrete example of bigotry being bad for business.

Chrysalis Lingerie Looking For Trans Women Models

Chrysalis Lingerie, the FUBU lingerie line for girls like us that launches its e-commerce site on May 2, is now looking for trans women for its upcoming ad campaign that will run with the launch of the site:.

***ATTENTION**CASTING CALL**ATTENTION***

We are casting new models for our new Ad Campaign to coincide with our e-commerce launch. If you are in the NYC or tri-state area and are available to shoot within the next 2-3 weeks, we would love to hear from you!

We are looking for TRANS WOMEN who embodies the Chrysalis Brand. A woman who is strong willed, intelligent, and is UNAPOLOGETIC about her FEMININITY.

We are also looking for a MAN...Very good looking, rugged dark features, a bad boy, and mysterious a PLUS!

(acting experience would be great but not necessary for both roles)

Please email us at info@ChrysalisLingerie.com
with head shots, portfolio, acting reels, etc.

Please put "model casting" in subject line.

Feel free to share this with anyone and everyone who may be interested. Please and Thank you! ♥ Chrysalis

I hope the man they are looking for in the casting call search also includes any trans man that fits that description.  

But I definitely want to see Chrysalis Lingerie survive, thrive and grow strong enough as a brand to where it will be able to employ more of our people in the NYC metro area and beyond.

This is an opportunity as a community to build our economic power, which is why this is my second post writing about this company I'm only invested emotionally in   We as a trans community need to support trans entrepreneurs like Cy and start using our t-bills with trans owned companies so that those companies when they grow and are looking to expand can employ other trans people.  Building economic power is just as important in our trans human rights struggle as building the political power component of it.

So for all you trans women in the New York City and tri-state area who believe you have what it takes to be a lingerie model, here's your opportunity. 

Chrysalis: Lingerie For Girls Like Us

This news broke while I was offline, but I was excited to hear about a first ever line of linerie designed by a girl like us entrepreneur for girls like us.

The perfectly named Chrysalis Lingerie is the first ever lingerie line that is designed for transwomen.   Co-founder Cy Lauz remembered when she had a hard time during her transition finding lingerie and undergarments that suited her particular needs and made her feel pretty, confident and feminine.

“There was nothing that made me feel good about being a trans woman and who I was as a professional and most importantly, who I was as a person,” Lauz says.

Lauz put her fashion styling and interior design talents to work and founded Chrysalis, which is getting major positive buzz inside and outside the trans community. 

It's starting with a basic line of bra and panty ensembles in five colors.   The power-mesh panty is designed to create a seamless look by using a special panel that “tucks us in,” Cy said, while the bra comes with hidden pockets that hold full-cup inserts to create the appearance of a natural bustline.  

The initial product line is versatile enough to work with all body shapes while still the look and feel of traditional feminine lingerie lines. 

Chrysalis Lingerie for now will only be available online and in progressive lingerie outlets that welcome the business of trans women. 

Beyond the basic product line there are long range plans to not only open a brick and mortar store in the New York area but create a Chrysalis Lingerie couture line that incorporates the Chrysalis technical innovations into a line of teddies, shapewear, lingerie and swimwear.





Chrysalis Lingerie has been around since 2010 and is grateful for the fresh round of media exposure and attention.  

Chrysalis Lingerie does have a company Facebook page that you can like and check out for all sorts of fashion and TBLG related posts as we anxiously await the May 1 launch of the e-commerce site.

Hmm, that's just in time for my birthday.   

TransGriot Update: link for the Chrysalis Lingerie website.