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During the last few decades provocative images of women have infiltrated every genre of popular culture. The sensual representations of women are boundless. Women appear in all facets of print publishing, television, and pornography as several objects or entities whose chief purpose(s) are for male sexual arousal/gratification; their personalities become secondary. In the 21st century these concepts are reoccurring with greater frequency. For instance, Intimate Brands Inc., the parent company of Victoria's Secret is the nations largest lingerie retailer. Victoria's Secret produces everything from apparel and fragrances to the more popular lingerie. Victoria's Secret merchandise is gender specific i.e. endemic to the white female upperclasses. Moreover, it is aimed at white women with slim almost anorexic bodies whose undeniable beauty conforms to the usual criteria. This paper will analyze the notion of race, body image and gender and how these variables are used to promote Victoria's Secret products. Victoria's Secret in recent years has split into two separate worlds that of prestige and elegance, and that of pornography in its depiction of women. In several ads Victoria?s Secret bridges these worlds together by commdifying its product. The resemblance or similarities of these images to that of pornography are astounding. I will examine several ads that primarily focus upon the portrayal of the female prototype concerning body image, race, and pornography with the ubiquitous influence of gender.
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