My letter to Martin Waters, CEO of Victoria's Secret:
Dear Mr. Waters,
I went to your web site to check out the Cyber Monday deals. When I clicked on the item below, I was delighted to see a disabled person was given the opportunity to model in the Flannel Jogger Tee-Jama Set: https://www.victoriassecret.com/us/vs/sleepwear-and-lingerie-catalog/5000009160?brand=&collectionId=a21ffca5-7657-4860-9fe1-42e3dfe61fb1&limit=180&orderBy=REC&priceType=regular&productId=41fc6ef5-9fd0-4606-bddd-f3c18e3b9060&stackId=8912d842-577e-4b84-9acc-d638a045d908&genericId=11222341&choice=5ZSQ&product_position=1&stack_position=1&dataSource=manual-collection&categoryOne=TS
No other retailer's website has ever displayed this. This is amazing and beautiful. Through the course of my life, I've heard countless stories of people who have been told they will "never make it" in their desired career because of an affliction they were born with, or a disability they've sustained.
An experience I had at a Ronnie Milsap concert eight years ago comes to mind. According to Ronnie Milsap, who is a blind musician, he always wanted to be a musician, but due to his blindness he would never be able to. Ronnie went into elaborate detail about his affliction, saying, "At school, I wanted to be a professional musician, but they kept telling me I’d never make it," “They wanted me to be a lawyer or something."
“So, one day, I went to Atlanta to see a Ray Charles’ concert. I went backstage in his dressing room and sat at his piano. I told him I wanted to be a musician. He said, ‘Play something for me,’ and I did. Then he said, 'If you love music, be a musician.’ And I did.”
What his school didn't realize was that Ronnie could play by ear, and that was all he needed to succeed. Seeing the piano wasn't necessary.
The picture of the pretty model sitting in her wheelchair on your page made me tear up. Models must stand, walk the famous catwalk, and strike many poses. If you are in a wheelchair, you cannot do that. It's refreshing to see a model like that on your website. Also, you included a standing model, so people could still see how the PJ set looked on someone standing.
The fact that she was able to model for Victoria's Secret despite being disabled thrilled me. When a disability prevents someone from doing something, I can't stand it. The obstacles that disabled people must overcome to fulfill their dreams are simply unfair.
I cannot thank you enough, but thank you, thank you, thank you for doing this! It's so heartwarming~!! <3
I have always been a big fan of Victoria's Secret, but my interest in Victoria's Secret has grown much much more. Your store is in my top five stores! Keep up the excellent job!
Kind regards,
Me
Mr. Waters' reply:
Hi me,
Thank you for your kind and compassionate email about our holiday marketing. Saying it made my day seems cliché, but it’s the absolute truth.
Our team here at Victoria’s Secret is dedicated to being a brand that welcomes and celebrates all women – ensuring we’re not only representing them in our marketing, but also creating products that serve them and their needs. This year we launched our first ever adaptive lines in Victoria’s Secret and PINK, and over the last two years we added maternity and mastectomy products to our collections.
Receiving emails from customers like you fuels our passion to continue our journey to be the best brand for women. Thank you for noticing this work, for taking the time to contact me, and for being an advocate for the representation of people with disabilities. We’re honored to have you as a customer, and we hope to continue to inspire you.
In appreciation, I’ve included a gift card. This does not expire and can be used in stores or online. I hope you’ll continue to reach out to me to share your point of view on our marketing, our products, and your experiences with our brand.
My best,
Martin
I cannot thank Mr. Waters enough for writing me back, and for giving me a $75.00 gift card! That was so kind of him, and I appreciate everything his company has done for women and the disabled. To give the disabled the opportunity to model for Victoria's Secret is truly amazing, and I can only hope more companies offer these kinds of opportunities for them. Not to mention the other helpful products added for women.
More on these new adaptive lines from Victoria's Secret: https://fashionista.com/2023/09/victorias-secret-debuts-first-adaptive-line-nyfw/
Check out these ultra cool live performances from Victoria's Secrets' fashion shows:
A list of every artist who ever performed at Victoria's Secrets' fashion show events: https://victoriassecret.fandom.com/wiki/Performers
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