Victoria’s Secret Plus-Size Brand Founder Is Out as Sales Lag

Victoria’s Secret & Co. has named a new head of the Adore Me business and its founder has left the company.

The brand will be led by Christine Vellani, according to a person familiar with the plans who wasn’t authorised to speak publicly. Morgan Hermand-Waiche, Adore Me’s founder, is no longer with the company, the person said.

Hermand-Waiche didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Company leaders and Hermand-Waiche “agreed that it is the right time to transition leadership to enable the next phase of growth for Adore Me,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to Bloomberg News.

Vellani’s “deep experience in retail, operations, and innovation makes her well-positioned to lead Adore Me forward,” the spokesperson added.

Adore Me began as an online retailer focused on plus-size lingerie and expanded to offer a wide range of sizes. Victoria’s Secret announced it would acquire the brand in 2022 for $400 million in cash plus additional payments. That deal has been criticised by one of the company’s biggest investors for failing to generate “meaningful returns.” The investor also called out “disastrous board-level decisions” at the company.

Shares of Victoria’s Secret have fallen by almost half since being spun off from L Brands in 2021. The lingerie company has struggled to appeal to shifting consumer tastes amid a competitive retail landscape packed with upstart intimates and athleisurewear brands, as well as new tariffs under President Donald Trump.

By Lily Meier

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