Victoria’s Secret chief marketing officer Edward Razek resigns
Edward Razek, the long-serving chief marketing officer at Victoria’s Secret parent company L Brands, is leaving the role.
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The decision comes a full eight months after Razek found himself at the centre of a PR crisis after stating in a Vogue interview that there was no place for plus-size or transgender models at Victoria’s Secret’s raunchy fashion shows.
Since those words (and a public Twitter apology) Victoria’s Secret has taken its first tentative steps toward inclusivity with the news that Brazilian model Valentina Sampaio would be its first transgender star.
L Brands chief executive Les Wexner confirmed Razek’s exit in a memo to staff, saying: “There are few with Ed’s passion and talent in this industry, but I have faith in our incredible teams, talent and product, and I look forward to the future as we grow and change.”
In a statement Razek, who has personally chosen Victoria’s Secret models for over 15 years, said: “A few weeks ago, I shared with Les my desire to retire sometime around mid-August. It was a tough conversation to have because, as some of you must know, we have shared so much together for so many years.”
SVP of brand and creative Ed Wolf and Bob Campbell, VP creative for Victoria’s Secret will take over Razek’s roles on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is found.
Victoria's Secret has found itself at odds with changing societal standards on body image in recent years, forcing it to can its 'Perfect Body' campaign.