ThirdLove CEO Heidi Zak Pens Fiery Open Letter to Victoria’s Secret in the New York Times

After reading Ed Razek's ghastly comments in an interview with Vogue — in which the L Brands chief marketing officer said Victoria's Secret doesn't and shouldn't cast "transsexuals" (he presumably meant transgender women) and plus-size models in the televised fashion show because it's "a fantasy" and "no one" has "an interest" in watching plus-size models — thousands of people have responded in anger, disappointment, and promises to never shop at Victoria's Secret ever again. Among those angered by his words are shoppers, models, and executives at other lingerie brands, including Becca McCharen-Tran, the founder of the famously inclusive Chromat who penned a response to the controversial remarks for Out.

ThirdLove's co-founder and co-CEO, Heidi Zak, initially responded on Instagram, but she had much more to say — and took out a full-page ad in The New York Times to say it.

ThirdLove took to Instagram to post a photo of the ad, which is topped off with "An Open Letter to Victoria's Secret" in a big, pink font. The text of the letter was shared in the caption, and starts: "Dear Victoria’s Secret, I was appalled when I saw the demeaning comments about women your Chief Marketing Officer, Ed Razek, made to Vogue last week." After quoting the offensive comments, she goes on to write, "I’ve read and reread the interview at least 20 times, and each time I read it I’m even angrier. How in 2018 can the CMO of any public company — let alone one that claims to be for women — make such shocking, derogatory statements?"

Zak goes on to criticize Victoria's Secret's male-gaze marketing approach, willful ignorance about the lives of everyday women, and dismissal of inclusivity as a fad, writing, "Your show may be a 'fantasy' but we live in reality. Our reality is that women wear bras in real life as they go to work, breastfeed their children, play sports, care for ailing parents, and serve their country." She reminds the brand that women have moved past antiquated gender roles and limited concepts of femininity, declaring that it's up to women to decide what makes them sexy.

She then states what she believes to be the clear differences between ThirdLove and Victoria's Secret: "ThirdLove is the antithesis of Victoria’s Secret. We believe the future is building a brand for every woman, regardless of her shape, size, age, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation. This shouldn’t be seen as groundbreaking, it should be the norm," Zak writes, urging her competitor — and all who read the letter — to treat women differently. "Let’s listen to women. Let’s respect their intelligence. Let’s exceed their expectations. Let women define themselves."

Zak concludes her open letter by addressing what was a clear jab at ThirdLove in the now-infamous interview. "As you said Ed, 'We’re nobody’s ThirdLove, we’re their first love.' We are flattered for the mention, but let me be clear: we may not have been a woman’s first love but we will be her last," she writes, then turning to the consumer, many of whom may very well be looking for an alternative Victoria's Secret in the wake of Razek's comments. "To all women everywhere, we see you, and we hear you. Your reality is enough. To each, her own."

Razek issued something resembling an apology after the initial backlash, saying his comment about transgender models (he got the terminology right this time) was "insensitive," but making no mention of his remarks about plus-size models. Interestingly, Victoria's Secret female CEO, Jan Singer, has resigned in the days following Razek's comments, but Razek continues to serve as CMO of parent company L Brands.

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