United States, Ohio, Columbus

Victoria's Secret

The brand Victoria's Secret typically evokes images of lingerie and swimsuit models, but it should be celebrated for its fragrances, as well. Although Victoria's Secret had previously sold body sprays, it formally released its own line of fragrances in 1989 to complement its lingerie line. Its first fragrance was named Victoria, and it has since added over 200 perfumes to the collection. Roy Raymond founded Victoria's Secret in 1977 in San Francisco. After realizing there were no stores in which he felt comfortable enough to buy his wife lingerie, he decided to start one. Although the brand grew, it was still considered a niche market, and sold what was considered burlesque undergarments. Focusing on the male market hurt business significantly, and Ramond sold Victoria's Secret to Les Wexner, a native of Columbus, Ohio, who also started Limited Brands. Wexner took a different approach to the company and directed his marketing efforts toward women, and the company's growth quickly accelerated. The brand has grown from just lingerie, and now includes fragrances, clothes, swimwear and cosmetics. In 1995, Victoria's Secret began its annual fashion show, in which its Angels (models) walk the runway in the brand's lingerie. Many of the models have gone on to become high-profile supermodels, including Gisele Bundchen, Tyra Banks, Miranda Kerr and Heidi Klum. The Angels collection, which includes lingerie and fragrances such as Dream Angels and Angels Only, is perhaps one of the most recognizable of Victoria's Secret's product lines thanks to the Victoria's Secret Angels.