Honestly, if you haven’t checked in on Victoria’s Secret since the days of the bedazzled "Fantasy Bra" and those televised runway shows from the early 2010s, you’d hardly recognize the place. The glitter hasn't vanished, but the vibe? It’s completely different. At the center of this massive cultural and financial pivot is the CEO of Victoria's Secret, Hillary Super.
She took the reins in September 2024, stepping into a role that is basically one of the toughest "turnaround" jobs in American retail. You’ve got a legacy brand that defined "sexy" for a generation but then got stuck in the mud while the world moved on to inclusivity and comfort.
Why the Move to Hillary Super Actually Mattered
Before Hillary Super arrived, Martin Waters held the top spot. He did a lot of the heavy lifting—separating the company from L Brands, trying to fix the culture, and getting rid of the "Angels" imagery that had started to feel, well, a bit dated. But the numbers weren't exactly screaming "success." The stock had taken a beating, and the brand was losing ground to disruptors.
Enter Super.
She didn't come from some stuffy corporate background. She came from Savage X Fenty. Yeah, Rihanna's brand. That’s like a traditional legacy brand hiring the person who was actively eating their lunch. It was a bold move.
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The Strategy: "Path to Potential"
By early 2026, we’ve started to see what her "Path to Potential" plan looks like in the real world. It’s not just about more inclusive ads. It’s about operational discipline. Retail is a game of "did you buy enough of the right bra in the right color?" Super is a merchant at heart. She spent years at Anthropologie and Gap, so she knows how to move product.
What she’s done is split the leadership. Instead of one person trying to manage everything, she appointed dedicated brand presidents for Victoria's Secret, PINK, and Beauty.
- Anne Stephenson is running the main Victoria’s Secret line.
- Ali Dillon (who came from Alex Mill) is focusing on PINK to win back the Gen Z crowd.
- Amy Kocourek is handling Beauty, which is actually a massive part of their profit margin that people often overlook.
The "Rihanna Effect" and Adam Selman
One of the most interesting things Super did was bring over Adam Selman as the Executive Creative Director in 2025. If you follow fashion, you know Selman. He’s the guy who designed that naked dress for Rihanna at the CFDA awards. Bringing him in was a signal: Victoria’s Secret wants to be "cool" again, not just "available at the mall."
They are trying to find that middle ground. You know, where they aren't so "inclusive" that they become boring, but they aren't so "exclusive" that they feel out of touch. It’s a tightrope.
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Is It Working?
Investors seem to think so. By the end of 2025, analysts like Dana Telsey from Telsey Advisory Group were upgrading the stock. They saw that PINK was finally starting to resonate with younger shoppers again.
But it’s not all sunshine. The macroeconomic environment in 2026 is still kinda shaky. People are picky with their money. If a bra costs $60, it better be the best bra they’ve ever owned. Super’s biggest challenge is proving that the brand has "fit authority"—that they actually make better products than the dozens of DTC (direct-to-consumer) brands that popped up over the last five years.
What the CEO of Victoria’s Secret is Changing Right Now
If you walk into a store today, you'll notice a few specific shifts that come directly from the top:
- The Return of "Glam" (But Better): Super mentioned in interviews that consumers actually want the glamor back. They want the "shine" and the "spectacle," but they want it to feel authentic.
- Digital First: They are pouring money into AI for "fit confidence." Basically, they want to reduce the number of returns by helping you find your actual size online.
- The Adore Me Integration: They bought the brand Adore Me a while back, and Super is finally using their tech stack to improve how they handle subscriptions and data.
It's a lot of moving parts. Honestly, it’s a merchant’s game now.
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What You Should Watch For
If you're following the brand—whether as a shopper or an investor—the next few months are critical.
Keep an eye on the "Sport" and "Swim" categories. Super has flagged these as major growth areas. If Victoria’s Secret can successfully compete with brands like Lululemon or Alo in the "active" space, the company's valuation could look very different by 2027.
Also, look at the international growth. While North America is the "core," the brand is exploding in places like China and South America. Hillary Super isn't just trying to save an American icon; she’s trying to build a global powerhouse.
Actionable Insights for the Informed Consumer
- Check the "Newness": If you haven't shopped there in years, look at the "Sport" line. It’s where a lot of the new design talent is focusing.
- Size Tech: Use their updated digital fitting tools. The company has invested heavily in reducing "size frustration," which was a major complaint under previous leadership.
- Watch the Collaborations: Under Adam Selman, expect more "limited drops" with creators. These are usually higher quality and more fashion-forward than the standard racks.
- Investor Note: Watch the quarterly reports specifically for "Beauty" margins. It’s often the "hidden" winner in their portfolio that keeps the lights on while the apparel side recalibrates.
The era of the "Angel" is over, but the era of the "Merchant" is just beginning. Whether Hillary Super can fully restore the crown remains to be seen, but the 2026 playbook looks a lot more solid than anything we’ve seen from the brand in a decade.