RACIST LINGERIE? Cosmopolitan Criticizes Victoria's Secret

Cosmopolitan writer Helin Jung wrote that Victoria’s Secret has developed racist lingerie for its annual fashion show. Yes, apparently lingerie can be racist:

None of that even sounds nice, but if it does, don’t let yourself be hoodwinked by Victoria’s Secret’s brazen attempt to re-label what is clearly cultural appropriation by turning it into a celebration of “culture.” The brand and its creative leads shamelessly cherry-picked imagery, breaking apart aesthetic references from wherever they wanted and stitching them back together again. They’re telling us it’s worldliness. It’s not, it’s a hack job.

As Emily Zanotti at Heat Street points out, when anyone tries to celebrate culture, people will greet it “with charges of bigotry.”

The first segment called “The Road Ahead” wanted to showcase different cultures around the world, featuring items designed from the people the theme wants to celebrate:

Arpana Rayamajhi, a Nepalese jewelry designer based in New York City, described the theme this way: She said, “The idea is that you’re blending little bits of this and that from all cultures around the world.” Rayamajhi created much of the handmade jewelry for the segment; the jewelry included silk threads turned into tassels, coins from Nepal, and beads â€" “a huge part of my culture.”

For some reason, Jung cannot stand this. She also found it disturbing that the company used “strips of culture” in its designs, “inspired by the likes of Peruvian, Mexican, and Chinese design.” Jung continued:

Collection creative director Sophia Neophitou described the hand-painted fabrics used in this segment by saying, “It’s meant to be this naive, homespun … but this is so luxurious.”

It doesn’t get much more patronizing than that, does it? The original version is made by simple people (“naive”) who make crafts (“homespun”), and it’s Victoria’s Secret that can elevate the primitive to something more “luxurious.” What would be the point of the corporation’s untold resources and unparalleled knowledge of world cultures if it couldn’t do that?

Nope. To Jung, all of this is another way for the Western world to show hatred towards other cultures. It is another way for the Western world to profit off of others.

Look, social justice warriors, you can’t have it both ways. You cannot complain about a lack of diversity or that others do not care about other cultures and then bitch when a company does exactly that:

With its positive, pre-emptive spin about globalization and multi-culturalism, Victoria’s Secret seems to have anticipated my response. The brand is leading with the notion that we’re all members of the human race, therefore everything belongs to everyone. But this is exceptional disingenuousness coming from a brand that once put Karlie Kloss in a Native American war bonnet and leopard print underwear. The fact is that even as the world gets more connected, a sexist, patriarchal, mostly white corporation continues to take what it wants for its own gain. Its exploitation of these cultural references is meant to lead directly to profits. And I’m not buying it.

So where does it stop? It’s a no win situation when it comes to these social justice warriors who want to find fault in everything they see. The warriors complain about a lack of diversity, but when a company decides to make diversity a theme the warriors claim racism.

I admit I had a hard time writing this post because I could hardly find the words to express the weirdness in Jung’s train of thought.

But will the warriors ever learn to take it easy and stop taking everything so seriously?

[embedded content]

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In Conservative India, This Startup Hawks Edible Body Paint and Lingerie

The Indian e-commerce startup That’s Personal touts financial metrics venture capitalists typically salivate over: a consistent doubling of annual sales, gross margins exceeding 50 percent, low customer acquisition costs and strong repeat traffic. Yet not a single big-name investor has bitten.

That’s Personal sells adult productsâ€"edible body paints, slinky lingerie, erotic board gamesâ€"to Indians who, like many people the world over, prefer to keep such purchases private. Founder Samir Saraiya is betting that gradually liberalizing attitudes toward sex will spark a boom in so-called sexual wellness products.

Samir Saraiya.

Photographer: Rohan Indapure

But more than two millennia after the publication of the Kamasutra sex manual, much of Indian society remains prudish. As a result, Saraiya is struggling to persuade skittish venture firms to plow $5 million into his three-year-old company. Investors say the regulatory environment is uncertain and fear Indian officials will shut down That's Personal if it runs afoul of conservatives. This is a nation, after all, where even dating apps have been forced to tread carefully.

Rajiv Sahney, who runs the India offices of New Vernon Capital, participated in an angel round 18 months ago that raised $1 million but says getting others to pony up will be a challenge. "There are people in India with a view on what India is and what India should be," he says. Even potential backers who deem the online adult segment a winner have been deaf to Saraiya's entreaties. “Will this category do well?" asks Nikhil Khattau, managing director at the India unit of Silicon Valley venture firm Mayfield. "Sure! Is it investible? Difficult to say." 

Saraiya remains undaunted, schlepping to venture firm offices with a bag full of his merchandise. "Investors need to be educated on what this category is all about, what is a cream, what is a lubricant and what is the product range we stock," he says.

When Saraiya quit running Microsoft's Southeast Asia business development office in 2011 to join India's e-commerce revolution, he never contemplated selling Fifty Shades of Grey merchandise. But Saraiya quickly discovered that every big e-commerce segment already featured a dozen or more players. Inspiration struck unexpectedly: Too mortified to buy condoms in the store opposite his apartment building, Saraiya trudged to a distant neighborhood where no one knew him. He was certain at least a few hundred million of his compatriots faced the same predicament.

 “That was it,” he recalls. "I decided to solve my own problem."

Saraiya roped in two of his Microsoft buddies as angel investors and jumped into what he calls "discreet e-commerce." Let others tout convenience, price and choice. Saraiya would sell privacy: “Buy from me and nobody will know.”

His first stop was a lawyer’s office to get clarity on the rules. “While it is illegal to import and sell ‘quote unquote obscene’ products in India, the rules dealing with obscenity make no reference to adult products, the lawyer told me.” To keep officials off their backs, all the merchandise would all have to conform to a statute forbidding any form of nudity on the packaging. The lawyer liked the concept so much that he jumped in as co-founder. Thatspersonal.com launched in January 2013.

Saraiya’s biggest dilemma was still to come: how to break the news to friends and relatives? At a family gathering, his wife’s kinâ€"conservative Jains who abhor alcohol, espouse extreme vegetarianism and practice ahima (non violence)â€"teased him about sourcing "Jain" adult products for them. He solved the problem partially by calling the company Digital E-life and printed only that name on his business card. “My children are 4 and 9 and when someone asks them what does your father do, they innocently say he runs Digital E-life.”

The startup’s 15-person team works out of a tiny office in Chembur, an industrial and retailing hub in eastern Mumbai. Saraiya initially wondered how his staff would explain their line of work to their families. “But they seemed to have no problem whatsoever," he says. By contrast, Saraiya had to break the news to his family "very gently," despite the fact that his sister and mother are both gynecologists.

The country’s changing demographics have worked to his advantage. Nearly three-quarters of India's 1.3 billion citizens are under the age of 45â€"many of them digitally savvy and willing to try new things. Shoppers from India’s biggest metropolises as well as smaller towns began snapping up the wares. Today, more than 40 percent of the buyers are women. One of the most popular products is women’s intimate shaving cream. "In India people glare at a woman if she smokes," Saraiya says. "Can you imagine a woman walking into a store and asking for this cream?"

Advertising has been a challenge because strict rules govern what you can show online. Google users must turn off their "safe search" option to view the ads. Facebook bans words like "massager" and "vibrator." India's customs officials pose another hurdle. When a consignment of edible paint arrives, officers are perplexed: Is it paint? Is it chocolate? “We have to explain each product to officials levying the import duties,” Saraiya says.

Inevitably, a handful of thriving copycats have entered the market. That's Personal says it has stayed ahead with a broad range of merchandise and exclusive deals with big manufacturers. The company also has made an art of discretion. To thwart prying relatives or domestic helpers, packages are unmarked and the invoices cagily euphemistic: racy lingerie is "one-piece apparel;" massage cream a "one-piece novelty item." Customers who live with their parents or extended families have asked That's Personal to relabel the actual products. Saraiya is considering such a service for an extra fee.

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The prudence appeals to buyers like Nayha Mehta, a Mumbai businesswoman, who used to trek to a distant drugstore to buy even tampons. When a friend mentioned That’s Personal, Mehta found the shopping liberating. On her 40th birthday earlier this year, she gifted herself massage oils, mood candles and naughty games. She won't share her complete shopping list because "people will judge me." But she intends to get more adventurous.

Saraiya is counting on customers like Mehta to spread the word and boost his business which is just hitting $1 million in gross sales."One day soonâ€"who knows it could be next yearâ€"it will be the right place and the right time for this kind of e-commerce in India." 

"

| Conservative | India, | This | Startup | Hawks | Edible | Body | Paint | Lingerie | Indian | commerce | startup | That’s | Personal | touts | financial | metrics | venture | capitalists | typically | salivate | over: | consistent | doubling | annual | sales | gross | margins | exceeding | percent | customer | acquisition | costs | strong | repeat | traffic | single | name | investor | bitten | p> That’s | sells | adult | productsâ€"edible | body | paints | slinky | lingerie | erotic | board | gamesâ€"to | Indians | like | many | people | world | over | prefer | keep | such | purchases | private | Founder Samir | Saraiya | betting | that | gradually | liberalizing | attitudes | toward | will | spark | boom | called | sexual | wellness | products | p> < | div> Samir | div> Photographer: | Rohan | Indapure< | p> But more | than | millennia after | publication | Kamasutra | manual | much | society | remains | prudish |  As | result | struggling | persuade | skittish | firms to | plow | million | into | three | year | company | Investors | regulatory | environment | uncertain | fear Indian | officials | shut | down | Thats | runs | afoul | of conservatives | nation | after | where | even | dating | apps< | have | been | forced | tread | carefully | p> Rajiv | Sahney | India | offices | Vernon | Capital | participated | angel | round | months | ago that | raised | says | getting | others | pony | challenge | There | with | view | what | should | Even | potential | backers | deem | online | segment | winner have | deaf | Saraiyas | entreaties |  “Will | this | category | well | asks | Nikhil | Khattau | managing | director | unit | Silicon | Valley | firm Mayfield | Sure! | investible | Difficult | p> Saraiya | undaunted | schlepping | firm | full | merchandise | need | educated | about | cream | lubricant | product | range | stock | p> When | quit | running Microsofts Southeast | Asia | business | development | office in | 2011 to | join | Indias e | revolution | never | contemplated | selling | Fifty | Shades | Grey | Saraiya quickly discovered | that every | already | featured | dozen | more | players | Inspiration | struck | unexpectedly: | mortified | condoms | store | opposite | apartment | building | trudged | distant | neighborhood | knew | certain | least | hundred | compatriots | faced | same | predicament | p>  “That | recalls | decided | solve | problem | roped | Microsoft | buddies | investors | jumped | calls | discreet | tout | convenience | price | choice | would | sell | privacy: | “Buy | from | nobody | know | ”< | p> His | first | stop | lawyer’s | office | clarity | rules | “While | illegal | import | ‘quote | unquote | obscene’ | dealing | obscenity | make | reference | lawyer | told | their | backs | conform | statute forbidding | form | nudity | packaging | liked | concept | founder |  Thatspersonal | launched | January 2013 | p> Saraiya’s | biggest | dilemma | still | come: | break | news | friends | relatives | family | gathering | wife’s | kinâ€"conservative | Jains | abhor | alcohol | espouse | extreme | vegetarianism | practice | ahima | (non | violence)â€"teased | sourcing | Jain | them | solved | partially | calling | Digital | life | printed | only | card | “My | children | when | someone | does | your | father | they | innocently | p> The | startup’s | person | team | works | tiny | Chembur | industrial | retailing | eastern | Mumbai | initially | wondered how | staff would | explain | line | work | families | “But | seemed | whatsoever | contrast | very | gently | despite | fact | sister | mother | both | gynecologists | country’s | changing | demographics | worked | advantage | Nearly | quarters | Indias | billion | citizens | under | 45â€"many | digitally | savvy | willing | things | Shoppers | India’s | metropolises | smaller | towns | began | snapping | wares | Today | buyers | women | most | popular | women’s | intimate | shaving | glare | woman | smokes | imagine | walking | asking | p> Advertising has | been a | because | strict | govern | show | Google | users must | turn | off their | safe | search | option | Facebook | bans | words | massager | vibrator | customs | pose | another | hurdle | When | consignment | edible | paint | arrives | officers | perplexed: | chocolate | “We | each | levying | duties | p> Inevitably | handful | thriving | copycats have | entered | market | stayed | ahead | broad range | exclusive | deals | manufacturers | also | made | of discretion | thwart | prying | domestic | helpers | packages | unmarked | invoices | cagily | euphemistic: | racy | piece | apparel; | massage | novelty | item | Customers | live | parents | extended | asked | relabel | actual | considering | service | extra | p> Exclusive | insights | technology | around | p> Get | Fully | Charged | Bloomberg | Technology | p> < | div> Business< | p> Your | guide | important | stories | every | div> You | receive | Business | newsletter < | div> < | div> Politics< | latest | political | analysis | charts | dispatches | Washington | Politics | div> Markets< | sleep | five | minutes | Markets | div> Pursuits< | p> What | drink | wear | drive | real | dreams | Pursuits | div> Game | Plan< | school | hacks | Game | Plan | div> The | prudence | appeals | Nayha | Mehta | businesswoman | used | trek | drugstore | tampons | a friend | mentioned That’s | found | shopping | liberating | 40th | birthday | earlier | gifted | herself | oils | mood | candles | naughty | games | wont | share | complete | list | judge | intends | adventurous | Saraiya | counting | customers | spread | word | boost | which | just | hitting | soonâ€"who | knows | could | next | yearâ€"it | right | place | time | kind | noscript> |

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Sexy Stars: Rita Ora wears lingerie and Priyanka Chopra is a stunner in navy blue

Aol.com Editors

Dec 13th 2016 6:26PM

She wore what?!

Stars got racy in their respective red carpet looks this week -- and some more than others.

It seems like Rita Ora forgot to look in the mirror before leaving home. The singer hit the red carpet wearing ... lingerie. Nonetheless, she rocked it with no shame.

"Quantico" star Priyanka Chopra was a stunner in blue at a UNICEF event. The actress paired the figure-hugging dress with a sexy red lip.

Of course, Ashley Graham oozed sex appeal at a Sport's Illustrated event, wearing a sequined pink-and-black frock. The model flashed major cleavage in the tight number.

Check out other sexy looks from this week in the slideshow below:

9 PHOTOS

Sexy Stars: Week of December 12

See Gallery

Rita Ora took her bedroom wear to the red carpet in a daring outfit -- where do we even begin looking?!

(Photo: Getty)

Bombshell alert! Ashley Graham flashed major cleavage in a sequined pink-and-black dress at a Sport's Illustrated event.

(Photo: Getty)

Eva Longoria proved you can't go wrong in black as she attended a gala during the Dubai International Film Festival. The actress flaunted a hint of cleavage in an off-the-shoulder gown with a show-stopping train.

(Photo: Getty)

Brunette babe! Actress Kate Beckinsale rocked an all-black jumpsuit while promoting her new movie.

(Photo: Getty)

Alexa Chung got into the holiday spirit in this stunning gold gown for a dinner supporting Women's Global Movement For Gender Equality, 'HeForShe.'

(Photo: Getty)

Helen Mirren is a true ageless beauty! The actress wore an all-blue outfit at the premiere of Collateral Beauty in New York City.

(Photo: Getty)

Actress Priyanka Chopra is a true stunner! The "Quantico" star can even make a simple navy dress look good.

(Photo: Getty)

TOKYO, JAPAN - DECEMBER 13: Milla Jovovich attends the world premiere of 'Resident Evil: The Final Chapter' at the Roppongi Hills on December 13, 2016 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jun Sato/WireImage)

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| Sexy | Stars: | Rita | wears | lingerie | Priyanka | Chopra | stunner | navy | blue | Aol | Editors< | p> Dec | 13th | 2016 | 6:26PM< | p> < | div> < | div> < | div> She | wore | what | p> Stars | racy | their | respective | carpet | looks | this | week | some | more | than | others | p> It | seems | like | forgot | look | mirror | before | leaving | home | singer | wearing | Nonetheless | rocked | with | shame | p> Quantico | star | UNICEF | event | actress | paired | figure | hugging | dress | sexy | p> Of | course | Ashley | Graham | oozed | appeal | Sports | Illustrated | sequined | pink | black | frock | model | flashed | major | cleavage | tight | number | p> Check | other | from | slideshow | below:< | p> 9< | span> | PHOTOS< | span>< | p> Sexy | Week | December | p> See | Gallery< | div> Rita | took | bedroom | wear | ng outfit | where | even | begin | looking | p> (Photo: | Getty)< | div> Bombshell | alert! | div> Eva | Longoria | proved | cant | wrong | attended | gala | during | Dubai | International | Film | Festival | flaunted | hint | an off | shoulder | gown | show | stopping | train | div> Brunette | babe! | Actress | Kate | Beckinsale | rocked an | jumpsuit | while | promoting | movie | div> Alexa | Chung | into | holiday | spirit | stunning | gold | dinner | supporting | Womens | Global | Movement | Gender | Equality | HeForShe | div> Helen | Mirren | true | ageless | beauty! | outfit | premiere | Collateral | Beauty< | York | City | div> Actress | stunner! | Quantico | make | simple | good | div> TOKYO | JAPAN | DECEMBER | Milla | Jovovich | attends | world | Resident | Evil: | Final | Chapter | Roppongi | Hills | Tokyo | Japan | (Photo | Sato | WireImage)< | p> Up | Next< | span> See | div> Discover | More | Like | This< | span> < | div> | button> | button> < | button>< | div> of< | p> SEE | ALL< | p> BACK | SLIDE | div> < | div> SHOW | CAPTION | p> HIDE | â€"< | div> Read | Full | Story< |

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Lingerie exhibit reflects sensuality and women's emancipation

Miami â€"  Apart from defining and highlighting the feminine form with sheerness and lace, lingerie over the past century-and-a-half has reflected the social progress of women, who are now much more independent and self-confident.

The "French Lingerie" exhibition starting Wednesday in Miami Beach will feature hundreds of ladies' undergarments, providing evidence that once liberated, literally, from the corsets that constrained them up until the 20th century, women are now using undergarments as an end in themselves and in unanticipated ways.

Up until the late 1980s, women generally selected their lingerie to please their partners, but since then they have grown in self-confidence, acquiring their own autonomy and selecting their lingerie for themselves, the curator of the exposition, Catherine Ormen, told EFE.

During a tour of the exhibit, with pieces ranging from burlesque to minimalist and made of modern fabrics along with the classic cotton and satin, the French fashion historian said that the advances in lingerie doubtless are a reflection of women's "emancipation."

Through the evolving styles of women's undergarments, the exhibition reveals that - quite apart from their original function of providing covering and better hygiene - women are now taking advantage of lingerie to model their figures, but above all to reaffirm them.

Ormen says that the exhibit - which is being held simultaneously with the huge Art Basel Miami Beach art fair opening on Thursday - is a mirror of the "history of femininity," especially the changes in women's morphology and image.

"French Lingerie" will run until Dec. 6 in the public spaces of the Sagamore Hotel, one of the pearls of Miami Beach's Art Deco district, and Ormen went into the archives of 11 prestigious French lingerie brands such as Aubade, Barbara and Lou to select the "treasures" on display.

Along with corsets, brassieres, bodices, garters, thongs and panties, the exposition also features works of art in seduction and eroticism by contemporary artists, including French comic artist Annie Goetzinger, drawings by Margot Van Huijkelon of The Netherlands and Japanese fashion photographs by Yoichiro Sato, among others.

"

| Lingerie | exhibit | reflects | sensuality | womens | emancipation | Miami | span>Apart | from | defining | highlighting | feminine | form | with | sheerness | lace | lingerie | over | past | century | half | reflected | social | progress | women | much | more | independent | self | confident | p> The | French | exhibition | starting | Wednesday | Beach | will | feature | hundreds | ladies | undergarments | providing | evidence | that | once | liberated | literally | corsets | constrained | them | until | 20th | using | themselves | unanticipated | ways | p> Up | late | 1980s | generally | selected | their | please | partners | since | then | they | have | grown | confidence | acquiring | autonomy | selecting | curator | exposition | Catherine | Ormen | told | p> During | tour | pieces | ranging | burlesque | minimalist | made | modern | fabrics | along | classic | cotton | satin | fashion | historian | said | advances | doubtless | reflection | p> Through | evolving | styles | reveals | quite | apart | original | function | covering | better | hygiene | taking | advantage | model | figures | above | reaffirm | p> Ormen | says | which | being | held | simultaneously | huge | Basel | fair | opening | Thursday | mirror | history | femininity | especially | changes | morphology | image | p> French | public | spaces | Sagamore | Hotel | pearls | Beachs | Deco | district | went | into | archives | prestigious | brands | such | Aubade | Barbara | select | treasures | display | p> Along | brassieres | bodices | garters | thongs | panties | also | features | works | seduction | eroticism | contemporary | artists | including | comic | artist | Annie | Goetzinger | drawings | Margot | Huijkelon | Netherlands | Japanese | photographs | Yoichiro | Sato | among | others | p> |

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Lingerie exhibit reflects sensuality and women's emancipation

Miami â€"  Apart from defining and highlighting the feminine form with sheerness and lace, lingerie over the past century-and-a-half has reflected the social progress of women, who are now much more independent and self-confident.

The "French Lingerie" exhibition starting Wednesday in Miami Beach will feature hundreds of ladies' undergarments, providing evidence that once liberated, literally, from the corsets that constrained them up until the 20th century, women are now using undergarments as an end in themselves and in unanticipated ways.

Up until the late 1980s, women generally selected their lingerie to please their partners, but since then they have grown in self-confidence, acquiring their own autonomy and selecting their lingerie for themselves, the curator of the exposition, Catherine Ormen, told EFE.

During a tour of the exhibit, with pieces ranging from burlesque to minimalist and made of modern fabrics along with the classic cotton and satin, the French fashion historian said that the advances in lingerie doubtless are a reflection of women's "emancipation."

Through the evolving styles of women's undergarments, the exhibition reveals that - quite apart from their original function of providing covering and better hygiene - women are now taking advantage of lingerie to model their figures, but above all to reaffirm them.

Ormen says that the exhibit - which is being held simultaneously with the huge Art Basel Miami Beach art fair opening on Thursday - is a mirror of the "history of femininity," especially the changes in women's morphology and image.

"French Lingerie" will run until Dec. 6 in the public spaces of the Sagamore Hotel, one of the pearls of Miami Beach's Art Deco district, and Ormen went into the archives of 11 prestigious French lingerie brands such as Aubade, Barbara and Lou to select the "treasures" on display.

Along with corsets, brassieres, bodices, garters, thongs and panties, the exposition also features works of art in seduction and eroticism by contemporary artists, including French comic artist Annie Goetzinger, drawings by Margot Van Huijkelon of The Netherlands and Japanese fashion photographs by Yoichiro Sato, among others.

"

| Lingerie | exhibit | reflects | sensuality | womens | emancipation | Miami | span>Apart | from | defining | highlighting | feminine | form | with | sheerness | lace | lingerie | over | past | century | half | reflected | social | progress | women | much | more | independent | self | confident | p> The | French | exhibition | starting | Wednesday | Beach | will | feature | hundreds | ladies | undergarments | providing | evidence | that | once | liberated | literally | corsets | constrained | them | until | 20th | using | themselves | unanticipated | ways | p> Up | late | 1980s | generally | selected | their | please | partners | since | then | they | have | grown | confidence | acquiring | autonomy | selecting | curator | exposition | Catherine | Ormen | told | p> During | tour | pieces | ranging | burlesque | minimalist | made | modern | fabrics | along | classic | cotton | satin | fashion | historian | said | advances | doubtless | reflection | p> Through | evolving | styles | reveals | quite | apart | original | function | covering | better | hygiene | taking | advantage | model | figures | above | reaffirm | p> Ormen | says | which | being | held | simultaneously | huge | Basel | fair | opening | Thursday | mirror | history | femininity | especially | changes | morphology | image | p> French | public | spaces | Sagamore | Hotel | pearls | Beachs | Deco | district | went | into | archives | prestigious | brands | such | Aubade | Barbara | select | treasures | display | p> Along | brassieres | bodices | garters | thongs | panties | also | features | works | seduction | eroticism | contemporary | artists | including | comic | artist | Annie | Goetzinger | drawings | Margot | Huijkelon | Netherlands | Japanese | photographs | Yoichiro | Sato | among | others | p> |

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Former Honey Birdette workers call out alleged exploitation and harassment

"Spank me if I'm wrong" is recommended sales "banter" in the customer service manifesto, and daily selfies must be sent to managers so they can determine whether their retail workers are exposing three items of branded lingerie.

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How to buy lingerie

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How to buy lingerie

A man's guide to buying lingerie for your partner.

This is the bras, corsets and sex-toy chain Honey Birdette, where former staff say they were given formal warnings or publicly shamed if they didn't wear heels high enough or lipstick red enough.

It's also where sexual harassment of staff by customers is persistent and widespread, ranging from leering and inappropriate comments to in-store masturbation and stalking.

Chanelle Rodgers (left) and Tori Bellentina protest against their former employer, Honey Birdette, on Thursday. Photo: Chris Hopkins

The fast-growing shopping mall chain, set up in the wake of international brands Victoria's Secret and Agent Provocateur and part-owned by billionaire Brett Blundy, is selling a fantasy of feminist sexual emancipation. But staff say the reality for them is dangerous and exploitative workplace conditions.

Their story comes after revelations in Fairfax Media of the widespread sexual harassment of women by their customers, and the virtual inaction of regulatory authorities.

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At Honey Birdette the problem starts, former workers say, with the recruitment process. Candidates are vetted for their looks via video interview or through their Instagram and Facebook profiles.

"They are looking for girls who take lots of photos of themselves and carry themselves in a way that is more exposed to the public; [girls] who are actively seeking that kind of acceptance and who they can mould into their ideal," says Nadelle, one of 10 former employees from three states who have spoken to Fairfax Media.

Ms Bellentina demanded to be paid for time worked before and after opening hours. Photo: Penny Stephens

Once employed, "Honeys" must adhere to a strict uniform policy that includes high heels and skirts (trousers are banned), and items from current lingerie ranges â€" which staff must buy (at a discount). Specific "Hollywood starlet" make-up is also a requirement.

Ex-workers say they spent $150-$200 a week (up to a third of their after-tax income) conforming with the brand's uniform requirements. But handling boxes and climbing ladders to access stock was a daily hazard in the "uniform". One ex-worker said she left after injuring her back moving boxes while wearing a Honey Birdette corset.

Ms Rodgers and Ms Bellentina burn a bra from Honey Birdette Photo: Chris Hopkins

A culture of surveillance included the daily selfies, as well as surprise visits and after-hours emails to make sure "Honeys" stayed back after closing, on unpaid time.

It is a culture many former workers say made them stressed and anxious. One said that, once on the way home from work, she had found herself weeping and hyperventilating in the emergency lane.

Ms Rodgers makes her objections loud and clear. Photo: Chris Hopkins

"I felt constantly watched, constantly on edge," says Alice* who worked for Honey Birdette in regional Queensland.

Alice once posted a photo of herself in a new "set" (bra, knickers, suspender belt and hosiery) to a staff group chat, only to find it in an Australia-wide company email the following week. "I was like, they just posted my boobs on the internet … no one asked me ... that was a bit confronting."

Illustration: Ron Tandberg 

Adding to their vulnerability, many were rostered entire days on their own. Women say they were refused toilet and meal breaks because they were not allowed to close the shop. One says she urinated in an empty rubbish bin in desperation one day, another that she didn't drink, to limit her distress.

"I wouldn't eat for eight hours â€"  a few times I almost fainted," says former staffer Mabel.*

Ms Bellentina refused to buy the brand's lingerie, arguing it should be free. Photo: Penny Stephens

Among every 10 customers, about three were men, one of whom would invariably leer at them, or make sleazy remarks, the ex-workers say. Demeaning and intimidating behaviour was most frightening for those working unaccompanied.

One 19-year-old worked alone for a 6pm-to-6am shift during a pre-Christmas 36-hour shopping centre trading marathon. With other nearby retailers closed, she was "very intimidated" by drink and drug-affected male customers. Others talk of men pestering them with probing and personal comments or using the sex toys in the store to masturbate.

A former employee of Honey Birdette who was required to send daily selfies to her area manger to show her ''look'' conformed with the brand's uniform policies 

Honey Birdette management had no training in dealing with sexual harassment, the women say, nor formal complaint mechanisms. Managers would respond by advising staff to turn the behaviour into a sales opportunity: "They'd say, 'He's probably shy; just go with it, then they'll buy something'," one former employee, Jess, said.

Jess said she was stalked for almost a year by a customer who sat on a bench outside her store and stared at her day after day, and then found out where she lived. He later showed up near her home.

"I got no sympathy or support from work," Jess said.

When she went to court for a restraining order, Honey Birdette required her to take unpaid leave, and asked her to be as quick as possible because she was the best saleswoman.

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The chain had a "Little Black Book" of rules for staff (which includes "Spank me if I'm wrong" among recommended phrases), and the company's sales handbook suggests selling women corsets "for the work Christmas party and have them all wondering where you kept those spectacular goodies hidden all year!"

Numerous women use the word "cult" or "brainwashing" to describe their experiences at the chain. Former managers talk of a revolving door of staff. 

Some staff were long-standing customers who say they were initially attracted to working at Honey Birdette for its stated goals of sex-positive and body-positive female power.

"Our Honeys are here to not only empower women but to entertain them," is one of the legends on the company website.

Tori Bellentina, a lingerie collector and blogger, was wooed by managers who had noticed her then-40,000 Instagram followers. But she refused to buy the brand's lingerie, arguing the work uniform should be supplied to workers for free. She also demanded to be paid for the time worked before and after the shop's opening hours, as required by the chain. She was "let go" after four months.

"You say you're empowering women, but you also say I need to tell customers to spank me," says Kate, who worked for the company for two years.

Honey Birdette declined to comment.

On Thursday, a campaign by former workers, co-ordinated by the Young Workers Centre staged protests outside a Melbourne Honey Birdette store. A petition calling on Honey Birdette to cease sexist workplace practices and stop encouraging harassment by customers attracted 5400 signatures towards a target of 6000 in its first week.

Discrimination experts say the allegations of unpaid work, dangerous conditions, bullying and harassment potentially breach the retail workers award and numerous workplace and safety laws.

*Not her real name. Names changed for privacy.

If you have been sexually harassed by a customer/client and want to discuss making a complaint, contact the Human Rights Commission national information service on 1300 656 419 or (02) 9284 9888

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