Justine Harmon

And the Victoria's Secret catalog?

Millions of people got it.

But the way that Les' executives had conceived of it was sort of dusty and old.

The catalogs might have a picture of a man nuzzling a woman on the cover, sort of like a paperback romance novel.

Eventually, Cindy became the CEO of the catalog business, and she wanted to change the look.

So this was your first catalog from Autumn Preview 1987.

Yes.

There was no real Victoria's Secret London headquarters, just one tiny little business office over there.

But this was all part of Les' marketing genius.

He loved European and British-y things, horses, big mansions, pomp and circumstance.

Just sort of pretentious, but that's what he was into.

And he had another idea that impressed Cindy.

Okay, okay.

That's quite the story.

So yes, a fully fictional woman was created to sell underwear.

But the real reason that the muse Victoria was so important?

She kept everyone at the company working towards one common goal.

That's what Cindy says.

Within two years, Victoria's Secret was taking in $500 million.

Like Victoria's Angels would later, Les' new company sprouted its wings.