Adore Me

Adore Me is a United States intimate-apparel brand built around direct-to-consumer digital commerce. Morgan Hermand-Waiche developed the idea in 2010 while studying for an MBA at Harvard Business School, after finding it difficult to identify lingerie that combined attractive design, quality, and accessible pricing. He had previously worked at McKinsey & Company, where he met Romain Liot, who later joined the company; Gary Bravard was also an early co-founder. The company’s initial investors included Harvard professors and angel investors Fabrice Grinda and José Marín, followed by institutional backing from firms including Redhills Ventures, Jaina Capital, Ventech Capital, Upfront Ventures, and Mousse Partners. The brand officially launched its website in March 2012. Its early proposition combined online-only distribution with personalized shopping experiences, including customer-specific digital showrooms, a style quiz, algorithmic product recommendations, customer reviews, and a membership program known as VIP Membership. Customers could buy individual products at standard prices or receive member pricing in exchange for a recurring monthly charge, subject to the program’s skip and cancellation rules. This model helped Adore Me compete in the digitally native lingerie market, but its negative-option billing and membership-credit policies later attracted regulatory and legal scrutiny. Adore Me’s core assortment has included bras, panties, lingerie sets, sleepwear, loungewear, swimwear, corsets, bralettes, shapewear, legwear, gifts, and activewear. The company emphasized inclusive sizing and body-positive marketing, working with models and creators representing a range of body types and identities. It also expanded beyond its principal brand through the acquisition of maternity label Belabumbum in 2019 and the creation of satellite brands Walkpop and Joyja. These initiatives broadened the business into maternity, legwear, and period underwear. Although primarily an online retailer, Adore Me developed an omnichannel presence. It opened a showroom at its New York headquarters in 2016, entered wholesale partnerships with Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor, and opened permanent stores beginning in 2018. Some stores incorporated technology-enabled fitting rooms using radio-frequency identification tags to provide product information, available sizes, and color options. The company also operated a technology-oriented distribution center in Secaucus, New Jersey, using automated storage and order-picking systems. Adore Me became a certified B Corporation in 2022, according to the company’s public statements, making sustainability and accessibility part of its stated corporate positioning. In November 2022, Victoria’s Secret & Co. announced that it would acquire Adore Me. The transaction brought the brand into Victoria’s Secret & Co.’s portfolio while preserving Adore Me as a distinct brand. Victoria’s Secret & Co. identified Adore Me’s subscription and digital capabilities as strategic attractions. Adore Me continues to be presented as a separate, digitally oriented lingerie brand, although detailed post-acquisition operating and financial information is limited in the public record.

Adore Me originated in 2010 when Morgan Hermand-Waiche, then an MBA student at Harvard Business School, identified an opportunity in women's lingerie. He sought to offer products that combined fashionable design, acceptable quality, and lower prices than many established specialty brands. Hermand-Waiche had spent three years at McKinsey & Company, where he met Romain Liot. Liot became an early collaborator, while Gary Bravard also joined as a co-founder. The company received early backing from Harvard faculty members and angel investors including Fabrice Grinda and José Marín. The company launched its website in March 2012 and adopted a direct-to-consumer model. Rather than relying initially on a large store network, Adore Me used its website to present customers with personalized showrooms. Its technology gathered style and fit preferences through a quiz and used those inputs to recommend products and sizes. The company also used product reviews, digital customer support, and later automated and hybrid customer-service tools to support online conversion and retention. Membership was central to the early commercial model. Customers could purchase products individually or join the VIP Membership program for discounted access and recurring benefits. The service used a monthly billing structure under which members were charged unless they purchased or skipped the month. This approach generated controversy when customers said the recurring charges and cancellation procedures were insufficiently clear or difficult to use. The Federal Trade Commission later investigated the company’s billing practices, and Adore Me agreed to provide refunds and improve disclosures. The issue became a defining legal and reputational challenge for the brand. Adore Me expanded its assortment from core lingerie into sleepwear, loungewear, swimwear, corsets, bralettes, shapewear, gifts, and activewear. It promoted inclusive sizing, including plus-size offerings, and used body-positive campaigns involving models and influencers with varied body types and identities. In 2016 it introduced activewear, and in 2017 it promoted a large swimwear collection covering standard and plus sizes. A luxury-oriented Bijou collection followed in late 2017, using materials and details associated with more elevated lingerie. The brand also pursued retail and operational expansion. It opened a New York headquarters showroom in 2016 and established wholesale relationships with Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor. Its first permanent store opened at Staten Island Mall in 2018, followed by locations in New Jersey and Rhode Island. The stores incorporated omnichannel features, including technology-assisted fitting rooms. In 2019, the company opened Adore Me Services, an automated distribution facility in Secaucus, New Jersey, to support fulfillment for e-commerce, stores, and newer brand initiatives. From 2019 onward, Adore Me broadened its portfolio. It acquired maternity brand Belabumbum, launched the legwear label Walkpop, and introduced Joyja, a period-underwear brand. These moves were intended to serve customers across additional life stages and apparel needs. The company also pursued international sales, including delivery to Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, and announced a China initiative using the ShopShops livestream and shopping platform. Adore Me developed a public identity around technology, accessibility, and inclusion. It was an early adopter of web and cloud-development tools, founded the New York Hearts Tech community, and received recognition for data-driven marketing and customer engagement. It also ran charitable and empowerment initiatives, including a 2019 Girls Inc. collaboration and a scholarship program for women pursuing business education. In 2022, the company announced B Corp certification. In November 2022, Victoria’s Secret & Co. announced the acquisition of Adore Me. The buyer emphasized the target’s digital and subscription capabilities, which could complement Victoria’s Secret’s established intimate-apparel business. Adore Me remained a distinct brand within the parent company. Public sources provide limited detail about its post-acquisition management, financial performance, store base, and international strategy. The brand’s history therefore remains best characterized as the development of a technology-led lingerie retailer that combined e-commerce personalization, recurring membership, inclusive positioning, and selective physical expansion.

1. 2022B Corp certification and Victoria’s Secret acquisition

   Adore Me announced B Corp certification, and Victoria’s Secret & Co. announced its acquisition of the brand.

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2. 2020Joyja launches

   Adore Me introduced a period-underwear brand serving sizes XS through 4X.

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3. 2019Portfolio and fulfillment expansion

   The company acquired Belabumbum, launched Walkpop, and opened its automated Secaucus distribution center.

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4. 2018Permanent retail rollout begins

   Adore Me opened its first permanent store and subsequently added further mall locations.

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5. 2016First showroom and activewear expansion

   The company opened a showroom at its New York headquarters and introduced an activewear collection.

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6. 2012Website launch

   Adore Me formally launched its direct-to-consumer website in March.

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7. 2010Adore Me is conceived

   Morgan Hermand-Waiche developed the business idea while studying at Harvard Business School.

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A digitally native, accessible-price intimate-apparel brand emphasizing style variety, personalized shopping, inclusive sizing, and membership-based online retail.

• BrasIntimate apparel

  Bras are one of Adore Me’s principal categories. The brand offers multiple silhouettes and coordinated sets through its online storefront, using customer preference and size information to personalize recommendations.

• Panties and underwearIntimate apparel

  Panties and related underwear are sold as individual products and as matching sets. The assortment supports different cuts, colors, prints, and size ranges and forms a fundamental part of the brand’s membership and direct-sales model.

• Sleepwear and loungewearApparel

  Sleepwear and loungewear extend the brand beyond lingerie into home-oriented clothing. The range includes pieces intended for comfort and for coordination with the brand’s intimate-apparel collections.

• SwimwearSwimwear

  Adore Me’s swimwear range uses the brand’s design and size-inclusivity approach in bathing suits and related pieces. The company has promoted collections covering both standard and plus-size customers.

• ActivewearPerformance and lifestyle apparel2016

  Introduced in 2016, activewear broadened Adore Me’s assortment into exercise and casual performance clothing. The collection was described as ranging from petite through plus sizes.

• Bijou CollectionLuxury lingerie2017

  The Bijou Collection was introduced as a more elevated designer-oriented line. It used materials and embellishments such as velvet, French lace, gold logo plates, and piercing-inspired details.

• BelabumbumMaternity apparel

  Belabumbum is a maternity brand acquired by Adore Me in 2019. Its offer includes intimate apparel, sleepwear, loungewear, and activewear for expecting and new mothers.

• WalkpopLegwear2019

  Walkpop was launched as an Adore Me satellite brand focused on leggings, tights, socks, and other legwear in varied sizes, styles, and skin tones.

• JoyjaPeriod underwear2020

  Joyja is a period-underwear brand launched in 2020. Its products were offered in sizes XS through 4X and positioned around reusable protection, bright designs, affordability, and product donations.

• 2021TikTok representation criticism

  United States

  Adore Me publicly criticized TikTok, alleging that videos featuring Black and Hispanic models and non-supermodel white models had been removed or disadvantaged. The company framed the issue as a representation and platform-moderation concern.

  Outcome. The criticism was amplified through the company’s social-media communication; the cited material does not establish a formal resolution with TikTok.

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• 2019Girls Inc. International Women’s Day collaboration

  United States

  For International Women’s Day and the surrounding month, Adore Me sold panties with empowerment-oriented prints in partnership with Girls Inc.

  Outcome. The company stated that all proceeds from the collection were donated to Girls Inc.

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• 2018Women of Adore Me portrait series

  United States

  Adore Me worked with New York photojournalist Aude Adrien on portraits of women employed by the company, focusing on their personal paths, sources of inspiration, and interpretations of empowerment.

  Outcome. The series supported the brand’s empowerment and employee-centered identity.

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• Project Runway: All Stars collaboration

  United States

  Adore Me appeared in the final season of Project Runway: All Stars. Head designer Helen Mears introduced a challenge requiring contestants to design an outerwear look incorporating a corset.

  Outcome. Christina Exie won the challenge, and the winning corset was made available through AdoreMe.com after broadcast.

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• 2022Victoria’s Secret & Co. acquires Adore MeM&A

  Victoria’s Secret & Co. sought to strengthen its digital and recurring-revenue capabilities and to reach consumers through a digitally native brand.

  What changed. Victoria’s Secret & Co. announced the acquisition of Adore Me and incorporated it into its brand portfolio while retaining the Adore Me name.

  Aftermath. Adore Me continued to be presented as a distinct brand. Public information about post-acquisition financial performance and organizational structure remains limited.

  Announced acquisition consideration. 400000000 USD (November 2022 announcement)

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• 2019Acquire BelabumbumM&A

  Adore Me aimed to serve additional stages of customers’ lives and broaden its apparel offer beyond conventional lingerie.

  What changed. The company acquired maternity label Belabumbum, whose products included maternity intimates, sleepwear, loungewear, and activewear.

  Aftermath. The transaction became part of a wider effort to build a group of related apparel brands.

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• 2016Begin selective omnichannel expansionStrategy

  After building its online business, Adore Me sought physical discovery and fitting opportunities while retaining its digital-first model.

  What changed. The company opened a headquarters showroom and formed retail partnerships with Nordstrom and Lord & Taylor.

  Aftermath. Adore Me later opened permanent mall stores and developed technology-enabled fitting rooms.

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• 2012Adopt a direct-to-consumer membership modelStrategy

  The company sought to make lingerie shopping more personalized and price-accessible while building recurring customer relationships through digital commerce.

  What changed. Adore Me sold products through its own website, created personalized showrooms, and offered a VIP Membership with recurring monthly billing and member pricing.

  Aftermath. The model supported rapid digital growth but later generated consumer-protection scrutiny over cancellation, billing, and store-credit rules.

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• 2023Multistate VIP Membership settlementControversy

  Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia sued over alleged deceptive VIP Membership practices, including recurring charges and the forfeiture of accumulated store credits after cancellation. The matter was settled in June 2023.

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• 2022Website accessibility litigationControversy

  A lawsuit filed by Marta Hanyzkiewicz alleged that the company’s website was inaccessible to visually impaired users; the case was dismissed with prejudice. A separate action filed by Kevin Yan Luis later raised similar Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility concerns.

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• 2016Negative-option billing investigationControversy

  Customers complained that VIP Membership charges continued unless they bought a product or skipped a month and that cancellation could be difficult. The Federal Trade Commission investigated allegations concerning deceptive subscription disclosures and billing practices.

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• 2016Kathy Lira billing lawsuitControversy

  Customer Kathy Lira sued Adore Me over alleged automatic card charges connected with its membership program, seeking damages and other relief.

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• 2022Victoria's Secret & Co. agrees to acquire Adore Me

  Victoria's Secret & Co. announced an agreement to bring Adore Me into its brand portfolio.

  M&A
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• 2020Adore Me launches Joyja

  The company introduced a period-underwear brand designed around reusable products, accessible pricing, and donations.

  Product launch
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• 2018Adore Me expands into physical retail

  The company opened permanent stores after earlier showroom and department-store partnerships.

  Other
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• 2013Adore Me raises Series B funding

  The company announced a new institutional funding round to support growth of its online lingerie business.

  Other
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• 2012Adore Me launches its website

  The brand formally began online operations through its direct-to-consumer website.

  Product launch
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1. Adore Me
2. Victoria’s Secret & Co. to Acquire Adore Me