nunude victoria's secret protest
photo: @nunude_official / Instagram

The Victoria's Secret backlash shows no signs of slowing down. Over the weekend, protestors stripped down to their underwear inside one of the lingerie giant's London stores. 

The participants, who dubbed themselves "the fallen angels," were a diverse group of women from all walks of life. They carried signs, chanted "Fashion has failed us!" and made a powerful plea for diversity across all brands — although Victoria's Secret was their original target.

Last month, after the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show was filmed, the chief marketing officer of L Brands (the parent company of VS), Ed Razek, said some controversial things about plus-size and transgender women. Razek told Vogue that the show doesn't intend on becoming more diverse because the show is a "fantasy," and clearly, women who don't fit the stereotypical VS mold are not desirable.

Razek offered a half-hearted apology, but it was too late. The brand has been struggling for some time, partially due to its refusal to evolve, but these comments were the last straw for many. The backlash doesn't seem to be slowing down. 

Over the weekend, Love Disfigure, an advocacy group calling for more diversity across industries, and Nunude, a clothing brand sharing the same values, teamed up to demand equal representation and visibility of all different body types across the fashion industry, starting with the VS runway.

A group of brave women of all different shapes, sizes, and skin and health conditions marched inside the Victoria's Secret store on London's Oxford Street, stripped down to their skivvies (provided by Nunude), and made their voices heard.

"Fashion has failed us!" the group chanted as they walked through the store. 

The women carried signs reading "We want diversity for all brands," "Our bodies matter too," and "Fighting for equality at Victoria’s Secret," among others. People in the streets cheered and clapped as they marched, one protester noted.

@iamjoanne_x - Founder of Nünude - “I may have slim but I have cellulite and stretch marks, and I love them. It’s not trying to make VS do something they don’t want to! It’s about that they have the models they have a sit fits the idea of FANTASY - I want to show that we are all beautiful, we are all sexy we are all wanted and most importantly we can all be a fantasy! “ ❤️ . Sylvia, @love_disfigure and I organised this and will be continuing to show what diversity really means in the hope that other brands will follow ❤️ if we are shopping from them they should represent us! . . @memojoand_i @charlotteamylouise @aimeegracey @mixcmixcmix @____chezza____ . . . . #selflovequotes #selflove #diversity #unity #together #victoriasecret #press #trending #modelling #catwalk #unity #power #special #protest

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Child burn survivor Sylvia Mac, founder of Love Disfigure, took to her Instagram to explain the cause. "We have become so used to seeing one body image that we find it difficult to open up our minds to want to see others. We are representing EVERY BODY TYPE regardless of Age, Ethnicity, Disfigurement, Disability, Differences, Sexual Orientation, Gender, and most importantly SIZE. Open your Eyes and Heart to Change. Our children are suffering because of it."

Amazing Day yesterday protesting inside and outside Victoria’s Secret then up to Oxford Street. It was great to see people smiling, clapping, cheering and talking to us. Calling for Diversity amongst all brands has always been my mission. Collaborating with the Diverse Brand @nunude_official helped to make my Campaigns worth all the chanting, shouting and explaining to young children. When people look at us and think we are craving for attention because we eat too much they clearly are blind to what is happening out there. We have become so use to seeing one body image that we find it difficult to open up our minds to want to see others. We are representing EVERY BODY TYPE regardless of Age Ethnicity Disfigurement Disability Differences Sexual Orientation Gender and most importantly SIZE. Open your Eyes and Heart to Change. Our children are suffering because of it ????????❤️ @britishvogue @graziauk @dailymail @guardian @metro.co.uk #diversityinfashion #bodypositive ❤️

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Both brands posted photos from the protest on social media and received a ton of support.

"Hats (and clothes) off to @LoveDisfigure and her 'Fallen Angels'" one supporter said, adding that the Victoria's Secret fashion show "depicts a largely unattainable image of beauty."

But where there is joy and acceptance, there is always someone trying to steal that joy.

Some people, sadly, missed the point entirely. It's a shame.

FYI - we’re not forcing anyone to be diverse we simply weren’t happy about the statement of plus size, trans and other diverse women not fitting the “ideal fantasy” ???? We won’t blast the ignorance of one person... ???? so after her horrible 22 comments on our photo yesterday.. We dm’d the 5”9 size 2 USA model based in LA some photos of yesterday, with some of the publics amazing and emotional reactions with the quote “ we’re different, sooner or later that scares people” AND WE defo mic dropped .. this was her reply???? Comment your thoughts ???????????????????????????????????????? . . . . #skintonestudy #selflovequotes #victoriassecret #ignorance #model #modelling #protest #nude

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SMH.

Some are still under the (false) impression that plus-size women are just "lazy" and that there are "plenty of companies" out there who cater to them. Sigh.

But one Twitter user put it bluntly for those who were missing the point: Companies like Victoria's Secret fail to represent its wide and diverse customer base. These brands are not blind to diversity, but they are deliberately dismissing it in order to push their limited and ignorant perception of beauty.

The thing is, in 2018, that's not what women want. We want to see glimpses of ourselves — and all our "flaws" — in the brands we love. There are a few doing this right, like Savage x Fenty, Aerie, ThirdLove, and, of course, NuNude, one of the powerful protesting brands.

Skin matching products to inspire self love in ones own skin - tap to shop ???? . . Founder @iamjoanne_x says: "It is important to inspire each woman to love herself, because they became beautiful, unique and in fact, just as they are. That's what we do, spread confidence and self-love through various fashion campaigns. " . . Duena de la marca @iamjoanne_x dice: “es importante inspirar a cada mujer a amarse a sí misma, porque se hicieron hermosas, únicas y de hecho, tal como son. Eso es lo que hacemos, inspirar la confianza y el amor propio a través de diversas campañas de moda ". . . O dona da marca diz: "É importante inspirar cada mulher a se amar, porque elas se tornaram bonitas, únicas e de fato, assim como elas são. Isso é o que fazemos, espalhar confiança e amor próprio através de várias campanhas de moda. " . . . . Collab with amazing campaigner @love_disfigure . . ???????? YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL . ???????? ERES HERMOSA . ???????? VOCÊ É LINDA . ???????? 你很漂亮 ???????? أنت جميلة ???????? VOUS ÊTES BELLE ???????? DU BIST SCHÖN . . . . #skintonestudy #victoriassecret #underneathwearewomen #glamour #cosmopolitan #nude #viral #diversity #together . . @canalrcn @noticiasrcn @vozhoymexico @caracoltv @telemundo @noticiascaracol @noticiastelemundo @20minutesonline @20m @yahoolifestyle @cosmopolitanuk @wgsn @bof @disabled_fashion @fashionairy @fashionista_com @britishfashioncouncil

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Is Victoria's Secret obligated to change its ways? No. But why should we, as empowered women, continually support a brand who doesn't support all of us as we are? 

photo: Tenor