Victoria’s Secret Opens Asian Flagship Store in Wangfujing
Victoria’s Secret (victoriassecret.com) is a big deal. Its existence lures people in magically, just like the love potion in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Proof of such could be found at the mega-lingerie brand's Shanghai catwalk show earlier this year when five-figure tickets were rumored to be touted prior to the event.
VS has built their brand around the illusion that the perfect female form is attainable to everyone and that the difference between you and the Angels is a combination of lacy underwear, perfume, lotion, and a mysterious and deep understanding of what it is to be "feminine." That "dream" is now even more manageable now that the biggest Victoria's Secret outlet in all of Asia has touched down in Beijing.
Opening as the new kid on the Wangfujing block, WF Central, on Nov 28, Victoria’s Secret looks to become a one-stop shop for all your beauty needs, selling women’s T-shirts, apparel, sweatshirts, perfumes, cosmetics, accessories, and of course the lingerie that made the American brand world-famous. Those lingerie lines (with overblown names like Body by Victoria, Very Sexy, Dream Angels, Bombshell, Cotton Lingerie, Victoria Sport, and Pink Spread) are laid out through the three-story shop.
The first and second floors are quite overwhelming, largely due to the shiny, neon, and light-reflecting décor, and especially on the stairs, where a large screen blares out footage of VS models on the catwalk on repeat. The fitting rooms are comfortable, very private, and fancy enough to come with their own call for help button should you not want to go through the hassle of putting your clothes back on.
The basement takes a more playful approach and is decorated with pink and white polka dots, the wall emblazoned with a massive arrow pointing customers towards their Pink line, where younger shoppers will find bras, panties, swimsuits, and loungewear.
Currently, you can pick up five pairs of Pink line panties or three pairs from the other lines for a discounted RMB 258. RMB 498 will get you a bra, a pair of panties, and a spray or body lotion. You can even buy the bras (around RMB 300-400) and wings that the Angels wore at the famed Shanghai show earlier this year. Finally, if you buy more than RMB 298 worth of swag you may even receive a limited edition bag.
We were happy to find friendly and eager staff waiting at every corner of the shop, on hand to provide shopping bags and advice. Be warned, however, since customers have free reign of the perfumes, the air in the store couldn’t be thicker with the sweet scent of perfectionism and without a breath of fresh air, you may also soon find yourself joining in the shopping spree and buying a whole lot of underwear you may never have needed in the first place.
Victoria's Secret WF Central
1-128a, 2-222b, WF Central, 269 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District (400 921 8006)
维多利亚的秘密：东城区王府井大街269号院1号楼1层128a、2层222b号商铺
Photos: Tracy Wang
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