But all is not well in lingerie land after the company sent American model Karlie Kloss, 20, down the runway in a feather headdress, buckskin bikini and turquoise jewelry. The outfit, meant to represent Thanksgiving, sparked outrage within the Native American community for its misappropriation of cultural attire.
The controversy came mere days after band No Doubt pulled their video for "Looking Hot", which featured singer Gwen Stefani dressed up in similarly stereotypical garb. And just last year, the Native American community criticized retailer Urban Outfitters for use of the word "Navajo" in product names, including "Navajo Hipster Panty."
Aptly-titled blog Native Appropriations points out that, beyond merely jumbling all American Indian cultures into one mish-mash, the Victoria's Secret outfit is especially hurtful to a group of women who face widespread sexual violence:
Besides the daily harm of these ongoing microaggressions for Native folks, the sexualization of Native women continues to be an ignored and continuing epidemic…So Victoria's Secret, now is the time to apologize. It's not too late to cut Karlie's headdressed outfit out and leave it on the editing room floor. This isn't "fun," this isn't a "fantasy" character. This is about our cultures, our bodies, and our lives. Native people demand and deserve far more respect than this."