Several months back, I blogged about a very unpleasant skin reaction after wearing a Victoria’s Secret all-cotton bra — something I’d worn for years without incident, and then suddenly started experiencing severe itching, redness and welts on my breasts. I started Googling around and discovered several news stories about women experiencing the same problem, and all the arrows pointed to the fact that Victoria’s Secret had switched from a manufacturer in India to one in China. Formaldehyde was detected in the fabric of the bras made in China. Bingo. The popular embalming fluid (I know, yuck, right?) is also a known skin irritant.
Following the blog post, which also ran as a column in print newspapers and on iPinion Syndicate, women who were having the same problems started leaving comments on the blog — each one reporting exactly the same thing and each one frustrated by nothing but stonewalling and denial from Victoria’s Secret, which flatly denies that formaldehyde was ever in their bras.
Oh, those pesky lab studies! And oh those even peskier lawyers! Apparently even MORE women have experienced the rashes and itching, and they didn’t just get mad — they took ’em to court (with nods to the beloved Judge Wopner). Check out these lawsuits that have been filed over the poisoned bras: http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/victorias_secret_bra_rash
It’s great that women are objecting to being poisoned for their loyalty to a brand but is it enough? I think not. I think the objection needs to be even louder. The only people aware of the problem with the bras are mainly those experiencing the rashes. It would be better if everyone was aware. A person who left a comment on my initial blog had a great idea: How about all of us taking our bras back to the VS store and demanding our money back? Well, that may or may not work. One at a time, probably not. But if we could all group together… maybe pick one day where everyone does it, or pick one store… it might capture some media attention.
And if we can’t get our money back? How about a good old ’70s style bra-burning? A huge bonfire, but this time women will be liberating ourselves from being manipulated and poisoned. I think that might get the attention of a news camera or two. Maybe right outside the VS main office? Ladies, anyone up for a trip to New York?
The address for the American corporate office for Victoria’s Secret is 1740 Broadway, #210, New York, NY 10019. The phone number is (212) 904-7200. If nothing else, maybe we could collect all the bras in a dump truck and leave them on the front door?