# Behind Victoria's Secret and Kylie Jenner's 450 Crore Rupee Bra Lies the Tragic Fate of Its Founder

> While Kylie Jenner dazzled the Los Angeles runway in a 50 million dollar Fantasy Bra, the untold history of Victoria's Secret traces back to founder Roy Raymond, whose journey ended in bankruptcy and suicide.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Lifestyle · **Published:** 2026-10-27 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/lifestyle/kylie-jenner-ki-450-karora-rupaye-ki-bra-se-charcha-men-ae-victoria-s-secret-ke-pichhe-ka-karava-sacha-52196 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Kylie Jenner, Victoria's Secret, Roy Raymond, Fashion Show, Fantasy Bra, Los Angeles, Leslie Wexner

Reality television personality and model Kylie Jenner has captured international attention across social networks and the global fashion landscape following a high-profile appearance in Los Angeles. Walking the runway on October 18 at a dedicated fashion show organized by Victoria's Secret, Jenner turned heads in an opulent ensemble featuring signature angel wings and sparkling diamond embellishments. While her stage presence received widespread notice, the sheer financial scale of the Fantasy Bra she wore dominated discussions. Valued at roughly 50 million dollars, which translates to approximately 450 crore Indian rupees, the garment highlighted the sheer luxury synonymous with the fashion giant. Yet, beneath the multi-million-dollar gloss and glamorous staging lies the somber and troubled history of the man who first created the company.

## The Hesitant Shopping Trip That Sparked an Industry
The origins of Victoria's Secret trace back to 1977 in the United States, when an American named Roy Raymond set out to buy intimate apparel for his wife, Gaye Raymond. While visiting a local department store, Raymond found the experience deeply uncomfortable and awkward, surrounded by racks in an environment that felt unwelcoming to male shoppers. Recognizing a major gap in the market, he envisioned a retail space designed specifically so men could browse and purchase lingerie for their partners without feeling out of place or intimidated. Guided by this concept, he launched Victoria's Secret. Although consumers initially welcomed the fresh shopping format, the business struggled over time to generate sustainable returns and gradually accumulated substantial debt.

## A Distress Sale and a Global Corporate Turnaround
Facing mounting losses and compounding financial stress, Roy Raymond opted to step away from his venture in 1982. He sold Victoria's Secret to businessman Leslie Wexner for a relatively modest sum of 1 million dollars. Upon taking control, Wexner completely overhauled the retail strategy, modernizing its appeal and aggressively transforming it into a high-profile global empire that soon became a dominant force in retail.

## Spiraling Hardship, Isolation, and the Golden Gate Tragedy
In stark contrast to the exploding valuation of the label he conceptualized, Roy Raymond's personal trajectory took a disastrous path. He invested the capital from the buyout into several new entrepreneurial initiatives, yet each project collapsed. As the lingerie company soared to unprecedented commercial heights, Raymond was pushed toward total insolvency. The relentless financial drain cost him his vehicle, his family home, and eventually contributed to the breakdown of his marriage and divorce. Overwhelmed by mounting failures, isolation, and clinical depression, Roy Raymond ended his life on August 26, 1993, by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, concluding the life of the retail innovator on a devastating note.

## Behind the Glamour: Misconduct Claims and Fallout
Even as the enterprise grew into an undisputed commercial juggernaut, dark controversies began to cast shadows over its reputation. Several top runway models, long celebrated worldwide as brand 'Angels,' eventually came forward with troubling accounts regarding workplace culture. They detailed mistreatment behind the scenes and backstage, alongside extreme, unhealthy demands to preserve rigid body shapes. Furthermore, intense scrutiny engulfed corporate leadership when Leslie Wexner's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were exposed. Serious allegations emerged indicating that Epstein leveraged claims of being a Victoria's Secret talent recruiter to exploit aspiring young models. Despite weathering decades of scandal and institutional upheaval, the enterprise retains its prominent market stature, underscored by the worldwide spectacle of Kylie Jenner showcasing an extravagant 450 crore rupee fantasy garment.

## What this means for you
This story highlights the stark contrast between extravagant luxury marketing and the harsh realities of corporate retail history.

- **For Fashion Followers:** Modern runway spectacles serve primarily as ultra-high-value publicity events rather than accessible consumer showcases. Displays featuring a 50 million dollar Fantasy Bra exist to generate viral global media attention and reaffirm brand visibility.
- **For Retail Consumers:** Awareness surrounding company ethics, model welfare, and corporate history continues to inform consumer perception. Shoppers increasingly scrutinize the past conduct and operational controversies of dominant lifestyle brands.
- **For Aspiring Entrepreneurs:** Groundbreaking product concepts require robust operational scaling and cash-flow management to survive market pressures. Selling equity too early or mismanaging subsequent ventures can lead to devastating financial setbacks despite an initial breakthrough.
- **For the General Public:** Extreme contrasts between corporate valuation and personal founder struggles spotlight the importance of mental health resilience. Behind prestigious global brands often lie severe personal sacrifices and unresolved tragedies that glossy campaigns rarely disclose.

## Why this happened
The trajectory of Victoria's Secret and its original creator was shaped by a combination of retail debt, failed investments, and severe personal hardship.

- **Origins of the Brand:** Roy Raymond conceived the retail chain in 1977 after experiencing embarrassment while attempting to buy lingerie for his wife in an ordinary department store. Although the store concept solved a real shopping discomfort for men, Raymond struggled to manage the company's operating debts.
- **Corporate Sale and Downward Spiral:** Crushed by business debts, Raymond sold his enterprise in 1982 to Leslie Wexner for just 1 million dollars, who subsequently transformed it into a billion-dollar empire. Raymond subsequently launched several other enterprises that repeatedly failed, stripping him of his wealth, his residence, and his marriage.
- **Tragic Culmination:** Compounding commercial bankruptcies, the loss of his assets, and emotional isolation drove Raymond into profound depression. Overwhelmed by personal ruin, he committed suicide on August 26, 1993, by leaping from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.
- **Subsequent Brand Scandals:** Decades later, former models alleged intense backstage harassment and harsh physical demands regarding body weight. Corporate reputation suffered further when Leslie Wexner's ties to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced, accompanied by claims that Epstein used company recruiting claims to exploit young women.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What did Kylie Jenner wear at the Victoria's Secret fashion show?
Kylie Jenner walked the runway wearing a diamond-studded Fantasy Bra complemented by angel wings.

### 2. What is the reported value of the Fantasy Bra worn by Kylie Jenner?
The piece is valued at approximately 50 million dollars, which equates to roughly 450 crore Indian rupees.

### 3. Who founded Victoria's Secret and when?
The company was established in 1977 by Roy Raymond in the United States.

### 4. What motivated Roy Raymond to create the company?
Feeling embarrassed while buying intimate apparel for his wife in a regular store inspired him to build a comfortable shopping venue for men.

### 5. When and for how much did Roy Raymond sell the brand?
Facing mounting liabilities, Raymond sold the business to Leslie Wexner in 1982 for 1 million dollars.

### 6. When and how did Roy Raymond pass away?
Battling financial insolvency and severe depression, Raymond died by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge on August 26, 1993.

### 7. What notable controversies have impacted Victoria's Secret?
The company faced model allegations of mistreatment and extreme body demands, alongside scrutiny over Leslie Wexner's ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

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