Victoria’s Secret to open first store in Prague shopping center this spring

Victoria’s Secret will open a Czech store in Prague’s Westfield Chodov shopping center in May this year. So far the lingerie chain's only local presence has been at Prague's Václav Havel Airport.

The international lingerie brand will join fast-food company Popeyes, which is also entering the Czech market this year.

Jan Kotrbáček, partner and head of the CEE retail agency team at real estate consultancy Cushman & Wakefield, said Victoria’s Secret has been successful globally due to its trendy and highly fashionable products at affordable prices in an attractive environment. “Its stores are always one of the centerpieces and primary attractions of shopping centers and the high street,” he added.

The brand is also driven by strong product storytelling, reinforced by fashion shows that are highly shared on social media.

But social media can also have a downside. The chain has been facing bad publicity after a song by former American Idol singer Jax released in the summer of 2022 went viral. The song “Victoria’s Secret” questions the lingerie chain’s impact on women’s self-confidence.

The brand’s CEO Amy Hauk responded to the criticism on Instagram. “I can wholeheartedly say that we are all committed to building a community where everyone feels seen and respected,” she said.

The brand in 2021 announced plans to expand its presence in Europe, though it did not mention Czechia specifically at the time. Victoria’s Secret has been facing decreasing sales year on year and is expanding internationally to increase its customer base.

The Czech Republic offers an attractive retail environment for multinational corporations in the fashion industry and other sectors, Kotrbáček said. “The abundance of global companies here is the natural outcome of long-term growth in the purchasing power of the Czech population, along with the development of a business climate in which companies can prosper,” he said.

Prague in particular is a major European and global travel destination, where tourists account for a significant share of foreign stores’ clientele, he said.