Victoria’s Secret closes stores to curb coronavirus

Victoria’s Secret is to temporarily close for business in a bid to curb the coronavirus outbreak.

The lingerie company – which is fronted by models including Taylor Hill, Alexina Graham, Elsa Hosk and Martha Hunt – shut its retail stores across the US and Canada last week, and has now revealed it will close its online stores until March 29.

A statement on the brand’s website read: ”With constant breaking news regarding COVID-19, we have made the decision to temporarily close our online store through March 29. As with our previous announcement regarding store closures, we will be paying associates who are impacted by these actions.

”We ask for your understanding during this time relative to orders you may have placed that have not yet been fulfilled. Our customer care team will be sending out update emails in the next few days regarding order status.”

It comes as fashion retailer L Brands – who acquired Victoria’s Secret and Pink in 1982 – decided to halt sales to focus on e-commerce production and distributions of soap and hand sanitiser.

The company has said it saw a sharp increase in demand for soaps and hand sanitizers at the outset of the outbreak, and has decided to close production on all brands except Bath Body Works.

However, L Brands is continuing to pay their 80,000 employees during the closure.

The news comes months after the annual ‘Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show’ was cancelled in November.

L Brands’ chief financial officer Stuart Burgdoerfer said the decision had been made to not go ahead with the runway show – famous for the Victoria’s Secret Angels showcasing the brand’s lingerie as the world’s biggest pop stars perform – whilst the label figures out how to ”advance the positioning of the brand”.

Stuart said: ”As communicated previously, we think it’s important to evolve the marketing of Victoria’s Secret, that is happening in certain respects now and I think there will be more to come. And with that said, we’re figuring out how to advance the positioning of the brand and best communicate that to customers.”

Article source: http://www.contactmusic.com/news/victoria-s-secret-closes-stores-to-curb-coronavirus_6306245