Gregory Andrews, aka "DJ Ruckus," just married Victoria's Secret model Shanina Shaik in a weekend-long Bohemian-style private ceremony on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas. 

Luckily for us, Shaik shared the details of her special day with Brides.com.

The wedding was attended by friends and family, with plenty of celebs involved — including supermodels, music producers, and DJs. Guests were treated to fresh seafood, jerk chicken, conch fritters, and a bourbon-flavoured tiered wedding cake, washed down with Mumm champagne, rum cocktails, and "truckloads of Don Julio tequila."

Scroll down for a sneak peek inside the dreamy beachfront wedding. 

Gregory Andrews, aka 'DJ Ruckus,' and Australian Victoria's Secret model Shanina Shaik married in a Bohemian-style private ceremony on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas at the weekend.

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The couple, who met at Coachella and have been engaged for three years, arrived on the island by private jet, of course.

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It all began on Friday evening, when the guests joined the couple for a rehearsal dinner at an idyllic beachfront terrace. It had long white tables decorated with vibrant pink and orange flowers, wicker place mats, and bamboo chairs.

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Source: Brides 

SEE ALSO: These up-and-coming lingerie brands should terrify Victoria's Secret

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• April sales declined for both Victoria's Secret and PINK brands.
• This marks the second month of declining sales at  PINK, which is worrying because the brand accounts for 40% of Victoria's Secret segment sales. 
• Watch L Brands trade in real-time here.

Victoria's Secret's PINK, which had become one of parent company L Brands' only areas of growth, is struggling.

April marked the second straight month of declining sales. Before the two-month skid, sales had never fallen. And given the flat sales at Bath & Body Works, Jefferies analyst Randal Konik expects only more bad news to come for L Brands. 

"It all means share losses are mounting and promos are being used to drive sales which are still weak," Konik wrote in a note to clients. He lowered his 12 month price target for L Brands down to $23 from $30, and recommended clients keep selling shares. 

The negative trend at PINK was especially worrying as the more than $3 billion brand accounts for 40% of Victoria's Secret segment sales. Konik blames American Eagle's Aerie for stealing market share. He also notes that same-store-sales at PINK declined despite promotions, which means the failures at Victoria's Secret are now spreading to its sister store. 

Unfortunately for L Brands, competition is only starting to heat up as Venture Capitalists target opportunities in the lingerie market. In the event that L Brands' declines accelerate, Konik wrote free cash flow may "wane enough to put the dividend in question."  

L Brands said in a press release Thursday that it expects to report first-quarter earnings at the lower end of its $0.15-$0.20 per share guidance, sending shares tumbling by more than 7%. 

L Brands is down nearly 47% this year. 

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• Walmart, Target, and Costco employees— as well as workers at all retail stores — sometimes come up against pretty difficult customers.
• Business Insider spoke with a number of retail workers about some memorable and negative experiences they've had on the job.
• Their stories just go to show that it's always a good idea to be courteous while shopping.

Walmart, Target, and Costco employees have seen some pretty gnarly things on the job. Many retail workers, in fact, can probably think up at least one or two less-than-positive incidents they've experienced while working a shift.

Oftentimes, customers are at the center of these troubling situations. A study from the University of British Columbia found that we tend to treat retail workers worse when we're hunting for bargains.

Business Insider has heard from a number of current and former retail employees who had stories to share about particularly gross, bewildering, or nightmarish scenarios that unfolded during their shifts.

The employees we corresponded with have experience working at Walmart, Target, Costco, McDonald's, Macy's, Home Depot, and other retailers. Their stories just go to show that it's always a good idea to be nice, even if you're not having the greatest shopping experience.

Here's what retail employees had to say about the horror stories they've experienced on the job:

SEE ALSO: Costco employees share 21 things they'd love to tell shoppers but can't

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SEE ALSO: Target employees share the most ridiculous returns they've seen customers make

A luggage store employee was cursed at over a suspicious return

"It never ceases to amaze me that the stupidest people I've encountered are the ones with university educations," a former retail employee from Ontario told Business Insider. "And the smartest ones have at least five years of retail under their belts."

One day, while working at a small luggage store, a customer came in to return a bag.

"Like any place nowadays, there is a form to fill out, and the purchase must be returned to the credit card used," the former employee said. "Store policy."

The shopper, however, gave the employee a phone number instead of a credit card number. She said the card was at home with her husband.

"I informed the woman that we cannot do a return onto a credit card over the phone, we need the card there to swipe through the machine," the former employee said. " She proceeded to call me a stupid b****."

An A&P employee witnessed a woman getting thrown out of the grocery store

A former employee of A&P, a now-defunct chain of grocery stores, described watching a parent leaving her two children in line at the register for an extended period of time. The cashier ultimately had to skip over her purchases and ring up the people in line behind her.

"She returned and not only demanded to be served immediately — despite the fact that this would mean voiding a large transaction — but also began loudly chastising her kids for not keeping their place in line."

The situation escalated to the point where the store manager intervened and told the woman to leave and not come back, according to the former employee.

A former Victoria's Secret manager had to reject a shopper's ancient return

A former Victoria's Secret manager told Business Insider about a time when a shopper came in to return a bra.

At the time, the former manager said that any Victoria's Secret bra could be returned, as long as the item wasn't excessively worn or defective.

"This customer comes in with a bra in a grocery bag and turns it out on the counter, saying that she wanted to return it," the former manager told Business Insider. "The bra was totally worn. It used to be red and now looked gray. Plus, it had deodorant stains all over it."

The customer explained that the bra was her mother's. The former manager asked the shopper to provide a receipt.

"She looked at me like I was crazy and said she didn’t have her receipt because it had been years since she bought the bra," the former manager said. "I explained to her that we did not even carry that style any more and that I could not take it back."

The customer proceeded to snatch back the bra and storm out of the store.

"I had to run to the bathroom and scrub my hands with hot, soapy water after touching that nasty bra," the ex-manager said.

• Victoria's Secret sent out an email to customers on Tuesday informing them of 40%-off sales at its Pink brand. The subject line of the email read: "OOPS, WE MADE TOO MANY!"
• While this was likely a friendly way to reach out to customers, it is ironic given that excess inventory is one of the biggest issues plaguing retail stores currently. 
• Pink was once considered to be one of Victoria's Secret's only areas of growth, but in its parent company's most recent quarterly results, the brand showed signs of slowing and has ramped up its promotions.

Victoria's Secret accidentally hinted that it was having inventory problems at its Pink brand in its latest marketing email to customers.

The email, which was sent to customers who subscribe for news alerts on new products and sales at teen brand Pink, was headed with the subject line: "OOPS, WE MADE TOO MANY!" 

This was then followed by a series of photos advertising 40%-off sales on apparel and underwear at the store. 

While the email subject line was likely written without serious intention, the underlying message is concerning and ultimately still true: Pink is using promotions to clear inventory and entice customers. 

Pink — traditionally a bright spot while Victoria's Secret continues to struggle— has become more concerning in recent months as its constant discounting has gained the attention of analysts.

"We believe Pink is on the precipice of collapse," Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note to investors in March, noting that the brand had ramped up its promotions. 

In parent company L Brands' most recent quarterly results, Pink CEO Denise Landman hinted that the brand might be headed towards stormier waters, describing its performance as "mixed" during the quarter. This was due to "disappointing" sales in parts of its apparel collection, she said.

Our visit to a Pink store in Downtown Manhattan in April supported Konik's argument. We instantly spotted its loud, 40%-off sale signs in the store. These promotions were mostly on core products like underwear.

This was somewhat confusing as during the company's fourth-quarter earnings results for 2017, Landman said that intimates, specifically bras and panties, drove the strongest sales growth for the brand.

Overall, this level of discounting is especially concerning as Pink now accounts for nearly 40% of total sales at Victoria's Secret, according to Konik.

SEE ALSO: We visited Victoria's Secret and saw why analysts say its most popular brand could be on 'the precipice of collapse'

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• Victoria's Secret's newest "signature" collection has a strong air of Calvin Klein's style.
• The new collection features a Calvin Klein-esque stretchy logo band under the bust of the bras and along the top line of the panties. 
• PVH Corp-owned Calvin Klein has had a comeback recently and is benefiting from a resurgence in '90s styles.

There is a strong feeling of déjà vu in Victoria's Secret's latest underwear collection. 

America's best-known push-up bra retailer has taken on a more casual spin with its new signature styles, which are timed for summer and seem to take a page right out of one of its biggest competitors' playbooks. 

Its new "logo" collection, which consists of comfy, wireless t-shirt bras and cotton panties, features a stretchy logo band under the bust of the bras and along the top line of the panties. It's very reminiscent of Calvin Klein's own signature underwear collection. 

Victoria's Secret may well be looking to cash in on Calvin Klein's success with its '90s-inspired underwear styles.

Calvin Klein relaunched some of its archive collections across underwear and clothing, and it has benefited greatly from a recent resurgence in '90s styles. Calvin Klein has increasingly become a trendy brand for millennials, helped by its partnerships with stores such as Urban Outfitters. 

The effects of this are now being felt in its earnings. In the fourth quarter of 2017, same-store sales were up 4% internationally and in the US for Calvin Klein, according to parent company PVH Corp.

In recent years, it has doubled down on its efforts to appeal to the North American market with celebrity-filled ad campaigns, featuring well-known names such as the Kardashian and Jenner sisters.

The new collection marks a significant change in direction for Victoria's Secret, which has been criticized for alienating customers with its racy, over-sexualized campaigns. The new images appear significantly more casual. 

SEE ALSO: Victoria's Secret just lost its status as the coolest lingerie brand

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• Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, Victoria's Secret, and other companies are tracking shoppers' returns dating back several years.
• Many shoppers are unaware their returns are being tracked, and only find out after they are banned from making additional returns.
• Amazon conducts this process internally, whereas companies like Best Buy and Home Depot outsource the process to Appriss Retail, formerly known as The Retail Equation.
• Behaviors that raise flags include too many returns and returns without receipts.

Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, and many other retailers are discreetly tracking shoppers' returns and in some cases punishing people who are suspected of abusing their return policies.

Most of these companies are using an algorithm to mine their sales data, build a database of customers' returns, and flag potentially problematic shoppers.

Amazon conducts this process internally, whereas companies like Best Buy and Home Depot outsource the work to Appriss Retail, formerly known as The Retail Equation.

Behaviors that raise flags include too many returns, returns without receipts, and a high frequency of returns within a certain time period, according to Appriss Retail. If a pattern of behavior is deemed fraudulent by the company's algorithm, then shoppers could get banned from making additional returns. 

Here's how The Retail Equation tracks returns:

"When a consumer wants to make a return, a retailer will scan the original sales transaction receipt and/or swipe the individual's driver's license or government-issued ID card (including passports) to make an identification of the person and his/her unique return behavior," The Retail Equation says on its website. "As customers return merchandise, both from in-store and online purchases, the system compares variables such as return frequency, dollar amounts, and/or time against a set of prescribed rules that form that particular retailer's return policy."

The company says that 99% of returns are accepted by its system, which relies on "objective, verifiable data to determine whether a return is valid rather than relying on subjective observations and guesswork by sales clerks."

Many customers don't know that their returns are being tracked. 

Shoppers can contact The Retail Equation to obtain their so-called return activity reports. Some reports date back many years. One report obtained last year revealed returns dating back to 2011, a customer said on Yelp. Another, pulled by a customer in 2013, turned up returns dating back to 2004, according to the Associated Press.

SEE ALSO: Amazon isn't alone in punishing shoppers for too many returns — these are all the companies that track your returns

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• L Brands is falling more than 6% in post-market trading Wednesday after releasing first-quarter results. 
• The owner of Victoria's Secret, PINK, and Bath & Body Works beat on both the top and bottom lines.
• However, it lowered its full-year 2018 earnings guidance. 
• Watch L Brands trade in real-time here.

L Brands, owner of Victoria's Secret, PINK, and Bath & Body Works, is falling more than 6% in post-market trading Wednesday after lowering its full-year guidance. 

L Brands reported earnings of $0.17 per share, beating the $0.15 per share estimate from analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Earnings-per-share decreased significantly, down 48% from a year ago. Meanwhile, revenue came in at $2.63 billion compared to the $2.6 billion analysts expected.

The company lowered its guidance for full-year 2018 EPS to $2.70-$3.00 a share from $2.95-$3.25. It forecasted second quarter earnings of $0.30-$0.35 a share. 

Victoria's Secret and PINK have long been heralded as stores being resistant to the rise of e-commerce and therefore continued to grow even as other retailers like Sears and Toys 'R' Us struggled. However, April marked a second straight month of negative comp sales at PINK. The brand turned to promotions and discounts to try and boost same-store sales without too much success, and the popularity of the cheaper bralette cut into margins. 

L Brands is down more than 46% this year. 

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• Victoria's Secret and Pink owner L Brands has been struggling to drive demand. 
• The two sister-brands have used deep discounts to get rid of high inventory without too much success, and Jefferies sees negative trends continuing into the next quarter. 
• L Brands blames sales struggles on the recent shut-down of its catalog business, the company exiting swimwear and restructuring but Jefferies says the problems are much deeper. 
• Watch L Brands trade in real-time here.

L Brands, owner of Victoria's Secret and Pink, reported another disappointing quarter Wednesday. First-quarter results revealed 'massive promos' across the sister-stores in attempt to drive demand which had been declining for the last few quarters. Unfortunately for these two big players in the intimates business, the promotions haven't been enough to turn the company around. 

"The MATH doesn't add up," Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note to clients. "VS/PINK appear desperate by giving away products (promos) to keep sales afloat."

Despite the number of deep promotions, customers don't seem to be responding. He noted that store inventories were high and predicts they will likely stay high for some time. Konik saw Victoria's Secret advertising seven panties for $28 and Pink promoting eight panties for $28. This is the first time he can remember Pink promoting at a deeper discount than Victoria's Secret on the same day. He believes negative trends are already bleeding into the next quarter. 

Though L Brands blames its struggles on the business exiting swimwear, restructuring, and shutting down its famous catalog, Konik believes the problems stem from the rise of new competition and an oversaturation of stores. 

The two intimates brands still hold considerable market share, but smaller competitors are quickly entering the market. The last few years lowered barriers to entry for the intimates category as the athleisure movement took over, leading to the popularity of sports bras and bralettes. Sports bras and bralettes are sold at a lower price and are cheaper to manufacture given the producer won't have to worry about traditional cup/band sizing which can be tricky to navigate. The popularity of this cheaper bra option "has led to eroding pricing power," and has cut into Victoria's Secret's margins. 

The PINK brand, once a growth driver for L Brands, is "falling out of favor," while competition grows, Konik wrote. Aerie, a subsidiary of American Eagle Outfitters, continues to expand as Victoria's Secret and Pink lose market share. The American Eagle sub-brand's revenue still pales in comparison to Victoria's Secret, but has seen accelerated growth. Aerie reported comp sales of 34% last quarter. In comparison, Victoria's Secret comp sales (which includes ecommerce) rose just 1%.

L Brands is down almost 42% this year. 

SEE ALSO: Victoria's Secret parent L Brands tumbles on lowered guidance (LB)

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• Victoria's Secret and Pink owner L Brands has been struggling to drive demand. 
• The two sister-brands have used deep discounts to get rid of high inventory without too much success, and Jefferies sees negative trends continuing into the next quarter. 
• L Brands blames sales struggles on the recent shut-down of its catalog business, the company exiting swimwear and restructuring but Jefferies says the problems are much deeper. 
• Watch L Brands trade in real-time here.

L Brands, owner of Victoria's Secret and Pink, reported another disappointing quarter Wednesday. First-quarter results revealed 'massive promos' across the sister-stores in attempt to drive demand which had been declining for the last few quarters. Unfortunately for these two big players in the intimates business, the promotions haven't been enough to turn the company around. 

"The MATH doesn't add up," Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note to clients. "VS/PINK appear desperate by giving away products (promos) to keep sales afloat."

Despite the number of deep promotions, customers don't seem to be responding. He noted that store inventories were high and predicts they will likely stay high for some time. Konik saw Victoria's Secret advertising seven panties for $28 and Pink promoting eight panties for $28. This is the first time he can remember Pink promoting at a deeper discount than Victoria's Secret on the same day. He believes negative trends are already bleeding into the next quarter. 

Though L Brands blames its struggles on the business exiting swimwear, restructuring, and shutting down its famous catalog, Konik believes the problems stem from the rise of new competition and an oversaturation of stores. 

The two intimates brands still hold considerable market share, but smaller competitors are quickly entering the market. The last few years lowered barriers to entry for the intimates category as the athleisure movement took over, leading to the popularity of sports bras and bralettes. Sports bras and bralettes are sold at a lower price and are cheaper to manufacture given the producer won't have to worry about traditional cup/band sizing which can be tricky to navigate. The popularity of this cheaper bra option "has led to eroding pricing power," and has cut into Victoria's Secret's margins. 

The PINK brand, once a growth driver for L Brands, is "falling out of favor," while competition grows, Konik wrote. Aerie, a subsidiary of American Eagle Outfitters, continues to expand as Victoria's Secret and Pink lose market share. The American Eagle sub-brand's revenue still pales in comparison to Victoria's Secret, but has seen accelerated growth. Aerie reported comp sales of 34% last quarter. In comparison, Victoria's Secret comp sales (which includes ecommerce) rose just 1%.

L Brands is down almost 42% this year. 

SEE ALSO: Victoria's Secret parent L Brands tumbles on lowered guidance (LB)

Join the conversation about this story »

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• The Victoria's Secret Angels are spending their week at Villa Victoria, a private Beverly Hills mansion.
• The week has involved parties, yoga, spa treatments, and lots of rosé.
• Celebrities and bloggers have dropped in throughout the week, while events have been hosted by the likes of VS models Sara Sampaio, Sadie Newman, Jasmine Tookes, and Martha Hunt.
• Take a look inside the stunning villa.

The Victoria's Secret Angels, the supermodels associated with the lingerie brand, visit some pretty incredible locations for photoshoots and events — and this past week has been no exception.

The Angels have been hanging out at what the brand has called its "private Beverly Hills hotspot" dubbed "Villa Victoria"— and it's pretty stunning.

For starters, the villa's grounds seem to be decked out with loads of flowers.

The video below shows the finishing touches being put on one of the flower displays.

While details from the brand have been minimal, so far, the week at the mansion appears to have been made up of brunches, parties, yoga, and plenty of rosé, with bloggers, influencers, and friends of the models all making appearances.

VS models Sara Sampaio and Sadie Newman (pictured above) hosted an event called "Logo-A-Gogo" at the villa on Tuesday, which appears to have been a big party.

Here's Sampaio mingling with guests.

The villa's pool was decked out with pink lights...

...and the "Bombshell" cocktails were also pink.

"13 Reasons Why" star Ajiona Alexus was one of the celebrities who made an appearance.

There was even a makeup room on site.

Villa guests were treated to a "Spa Day" on Wednesday — click the arrows below to see the luxurious setup.

They were dressed in white "Bombshell" robes and enjoyed poolside massages, facials, and manicures.

On Thursday, Karena Dawn and Katrina Scott, founders of multi-million dollar fitness brand Tone It Up, hosted a "Slay Then Rosé" workout alongside VS model Jasmin Tookes.

It looked primarily yoga-based.

The morning also involved an impressive-looking brunch spread by the pool...

...Featuring plenty of rosé, of course.

The table was adorned with pink roses in keeping with the theme.

The evening brought a "Summer Soiree" hosted by VS Angel Martha Hunt.

The dinner table looked incredible...

...and was certainly a hit on Instagram.

Personalised jean jackets were being made on site...

...And the party looked pretty lively.

Bachelorette star JoJo Fletcher made an appearance at the villa on Thursday...

...Alongside a number of other celebrities, Instagram stars, and bloggers who appeared throughout the week.

There was certainly no shortage of photo backdrops...

...Even inside the villa.

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• Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to female shoppers in recent years, with some customers complaining on Facebook that its ads, which feature scantily dressed models, are targeted more towards men than women.
• Meanwhile, rival brand Aerie has doubled down on its efforts to promote female empowerment and is gaining market share. 
• We've compiled a list of up-and-coming lingerie brands that could pose a threat to Victoria's Secret.

Lingerie giant Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to its female shoppers with racy ad campaigns, relatively steep pricing, and rail-thin models. 

In its parent company's most recent earnings report, released Wednesday, same-store sales were down by 5% at Victoria's Secret stores.

Increasingly, brands such as American Eagle's body-positive underwear store, Aerie, have swooped in and taken market share away from Victoria's Secret. Aerie has seen 12 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth; its same-store sales were up 27% in the fiscal year 2017 (first-quarter earnings of 2018 have not yet been reported) and this is becoming a major concern for its main rival. 

"Over the past few years, we believe the competitive landscape in lingerie (in constructed, un-constructed, and Sport) has evolved. In addition to players such as Aerie (AEO) who are offering a very clear brand proposition, new digitally-native entrants are entering the arena," Cowen analyst Oliver Chen wrote in a note to investors in March.

Here are some of the hottest new companies and collections that could pose a threat to Victoria's Secret:

SEE ALSO: These photos reveal why women are abandoning Victoria's Secret for American Eagle's Aerie underwear brand

American Eagle's Aerie

American Eagle's underwear brand, Aerie, has become one of the company's biggest sweet spots. The underwear collection, which includes a limited selection of apparel and swimwear, is targeted at 15- to 25-year-olds and covers a breadth of sizes from XXS to XXL.

Aerie famously doesn't Photoshop any of the images in its ads. In 2014, it swapped its airbrushed ads for unretouched photos and launched a body-positive campaign known as #AerieReal. This seems to be resonating well with customers as it has seen 12 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales growth.

Love by GapBody

Gap's latest underwear collection, Love, is focused on "comfortable basics."

It's too early to judge how successful it is, as it just launched in February, but its ad campaign has been well-received online. One photo that showed a woman breastfeeding her baby went viral last week after being praised on Instagram.

"I have never shopped at Gap, but I will be purchasing something tonight! This is amazing!" one Instagram commenter wrote at the time.

True&Co

Online-only store True&Co, which launched in 2012, aims to make shopping for bras more straightforward with a quiz that asks shoppers a series of questions about their shape, how their bra currently fits, and what preferences they have. 

From there, the store emails customers a selection of recommended bras, which they can try on at home and then return any that they don't like. 

The company was acquired in 2017 by PVH Corp., the parent company of brands such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, for an undisclosed amount. 

• American Eagle's Aerie brand reported record same-store sales growth in the fourth quarter of 2017, marking its 16th consecutive quarter of positive growth.
• Competitor Victoria's Secret reported a 1% increase in same-store sales and on its e-commerce platform during the first quarter of 2018, but sales fell 5% from a store-only perspective.
• Aerie has doubled down on its efforts to promote female empowerment, and this seems to be resonating well with customers.
• Meanwhile, Victoria's Secret's customers are complaining on Facebook that its ads, which feature scantily dressed models, are targeted more towards men than women.
• We visited the two stores to see how their ad campaigns differ. 

On Thursday, American Eagle Outfitters-owned underwear brand Aerie reported a record-high 38% increase in same-store sales for the first quarter of 2018. 

"Aerie is simply on fire," Jennifer Foyle, Aerie's global brand president, said in a call with investors on Thursday morning.

"We have only just begun," she added, stating that the goal is now to grow the brand into a $1 billion business and open between 35 and 40 this year across the United States.

Aerie has doubled down on its efforts to appeal to female shoppers, ditching photoshopped images and partnering with women activists to promote female empowerment. It seems to be resonating well with consumers. 

Meanwhile, rival lingerie brand Victoria's Secret has been accused of failing to appeal to customers with its racy ad campaigns, which also threaten to negatively impact its teen-centric brand, Pink. It reported a more modest 1% increase in same-store sales growth for the first quarter of 2018, following negative growth in the previous quarter.

In January, Business Insider reported that mothers of teenagers who shopped at Pink were revolting online because of the oversexualized ads in Victoria's Secret's stores. 

"It is basically pornography that everyone (children and teens) are subjected to viewing because there is only one area to check out between Pink and Victoria's Secret, which happens to have the most obscene photos behind the registers," shopper Jessie Shealy wrote on Victoria's Secret's Facebook page.

Pink has become one of the most successful parts of Victoria's Secret, reporting stronger sales than other parts of the store in recent years.

But it's not only Pink customers who are being put off by these racy photos. Some Victoria's Secret customers are also complaining that its ads are targeted more at men than women.

We visited Aerie and Victoria's Secret in March to see just how extreme the differences are:

SEE ALSO: 'OOPS, WE MADE TOO MANY': Victoria's Secret accidentally reveals one of the company's biggest problems in an email to customers

We visited two stores in Manhattan's Soho area. The stores were on the same block and therefore in direction competition with each other.

American Eagle's Aerie lingerie brand is known for its body-positive ad campaigns using "real" women.

The brand famously doesn't Photoshop any of the images in its ads. In 2014, it swapped its airbrushed ads for unretouched photos and launched a body-positive campaign known as #AerieReal.

• On Thursday, Gigi Hadid attended a Victoria's Secret party for photographer Russell James.
• That night, Hadid also shared a sweet message on her Instagram story in which she described her "childhood dream" of walking in a Victoria's Secret show and being photographed by James.
• Hadid walked in her first and only (at least so far) Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2016.
• The model made headlines in November 2017 when she revealed on Twitter that she would not be walking in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China.
• The surprising announcement came weeks before the show and only a few months after Hadid had confirmed she would be walking in Shanghai.

Gigi Hadid dropped jaws last November when she revealed on Twitter that she would not be walking in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai. The announcement was especially surprising considering that the show was only a few weeks away and that Hadid confirmed that she was walking in it three months earlier. The surprise also led to many theories — the main being that Hadid was banned from China for a racially insensitive video of her slanting her eyes to mimic a Buddha doll — though none of them were confirmed. Now months later, the dust seems to have settled and Hadid is back in Victoria's Secret's good graces.

On Thursday night, seven months after the 23-year-old mysterious disappearance from last year's Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Hadid attended a Victoria's Secret party for photographer Russell James who recently released a book, "Backstage Secrets by Russell James," with never-before-seen, behind-the-scenes pictures from his time as a V.S. photographer.

Hadid, who wore a high-neck white silk dress by Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, was joined by several other Victoria's Secret models, including Sara Sampaio, Lais Ribeiro, Martha Hunt, Ming Xi, and Josephine Skriver.

On her Instagram story, Hadid also gave a shoutout to Victoria's Secret, which she had a dream of walking for since her childhood, and James, whom she had a dream of shooting with. The model also name-dropped Victoria's Secret angel Candice Swanepoel as someone who inspired her to want to walk with Victoria's Secret. Hadid also revealed the adorable fact that she used to practice her runway walk during commercial breaks for the show growing up.

"My childhood dream was always to be in a VS show and have RJ shoot me backstage," Hadid wrote. "Cuz we all know I've BEEN obsessed with @angelcandices. I grew up w some of the pics in this book!!!! They made me dream! And I used to do practice runway walks during VSFS commercial breaks."

As fans might remember, Hadid walked in her first and only (so far) Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2016, where she wore two looks. The model was joined by her younger sister, Bella Hadid, who, unlike her older sister, was able to walk in the 2017 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

Since Hadid's sudden dropout, there have been many rumors as to why she wasn't at the 2017 show. Some thought that she landed a campaign with another lingerie brand forcing her to cut professional ties with V.S. (that's what happened to Kendall Jenner), while others were confident that Hadid's racially insensitive video landed her in hot water with the Chinese government.

There were also some noise that Hadid had beef with Victoria's Secret itself. However, that rumor seems to be dispelled judging from her recent praise for the brand and her appearance at James's book party. Could this mean that Hadid's drama with Victoria's Secret is under the bridge? All signs look good so far, so we expect to see her at the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show — unless another controversy happens.

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• Victoria's Secret is showing signs it's desperate to retain its customer base, Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note out to clients. 
• The company is ramping up promos as inventories pile up.  
• It's also losing market share to other clothing lines like American Eagle Outfitters' Aerie. 
• Watch Victoria's Secret owner L Brands trade in real time here. 

Victoria's Secret owner L Brands is doing things that suggest it's trying to retain customers at all costs. 

"The promotional posture keeps ramping up across the entire business,"Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note on Victoria's Secret parent L Brands sent out to clients Wednesday. "The need to increase promos to drive traffic indicates the consumer is going elsewhere for said products." 

Konik says Victoria's Secret is losing market share and is a "broken" brand. He pointed out that back in March  American Eagle Outfitters' Aerie was gaining market share from Victoria's Secret and its Pink brand.

It's worth noting that Victoria's Secret sales represented roughly 60% of L Brand's total sales in the first-quarter of 2018.  

Konik added that Victoria's Secret's pricing power is diminishing in part because of self-inflicted wounds. "What do you think happens when the consumer gorges on bras, panties and hand soap during May/June as things are literally being given away for free?" Konik asked. "What happens is demand is pulled forward near term while pricing power and brand equity are destroyed long term." 

Victoria's Secret's Pink brand saw back-to-back months of declining sales in March and April, and even though parent company L Brands saw comparable sales jump 5% year-over-year in May, Konik isn't convinced things are turning around. He says to beware of the "dead-cat bounce" and the he believes "shares will continue to suffer." 

L Brands is down 38.47% this year. 

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• In an interview with Coveteur, Victoria's Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro revealed that she no longer auditions for Milan Fashion Week.
• Ribeiro said she made the decision after she was told that Milan Fashion Week had "enough black girls" already.
• The model also said that she believes the fashion industry has several leaders who are actively advocating for more diversity.
• She named British Vogue editor Edward Enniful, who cast her and several other black models in an all-black issue of Italian Vogue, as one example.

With more and more curve models and models of color walking the runway at major fashion shows every year, there's no question that the fashion industry has improved in diversity and inclusivity. However, that doesn't mean that the work is done. In an interview with Coveteur, Victoria's Secret Angel Lais Ribeiro explained that many black models are still being discriminated against and turned away from castings because of the color of their skin.

The 27-year-old model, who is from Brazil and is one of two black Victoria's Secret Angels (the other being Jasmine Tookes), revealed that she no longer models in Milan Fashion Week after two experiences with racism. After she was told twice that Milan had reached its "quota" for black models and that she wouldn't be allowed to walk, Ribeiro said that she stopped auditioning for the Italian fashion week.

"Of course [representation] has to be better every year, but it still has a ways to go," Ribeiro said. "For example, I don't go to Milan anymore. I used to love Milan, and they're just like, 'Oh, we have enough black girls here, you don't need to come.' There were two times that they said that, and I was like, 'Is this for real?' It has to be better, but it's a little bit more open for us."

On the flip side, Ribeiro also believes that there are many leaders who are trying to improve diversity in the fashion industry. One pioneer she named was British Vogue editor Edward Enniful who cast her and several other black models in an all-black issue of Italian Vogue.

"Edward [Enninful] was always a supporter since I started my career, so it's exciting to see him being so successful. I did Italian Vogue with all the black girls," Ribeiro said. I loved that editorial. It was really beautiful, and he was just so nice. I didn't speak English yet at that time, and there were a couple girls I already knew at the job speaking Spanish with me. I think Arlenis [Sosa] was there and Ajak [Deng], Iman. He's always trying to represent and to help push through because it's a little hard to be out there."

There's no doubt that diversity is improving, but as Ribeiro proves, it's not a time to be complacent. There is blatant discrimination in the fashion industry to this day. Thank you Ribeiro for reminding us of that.

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• Victoria's Secret Angel Josephine Skriver shared her nightly skin-care routine with Harper's BAZAAR.
• She starts by removing her makeup with some Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water ($8.99) before cleansing with Karee Hays Hydra Cleanse ($42), which she says is suitable for sensitive skin.
• Skriver then uses her customized Karee Hays Koji Pads ($176) to help balance her skin tone.
• Before applying moisturizers, she sprays a generous amount of Avène Thermal Spring Water ($14) "to help [them] absorb better into the skin."
• She then applies a layer of Theraderm OPC Reparative Serum ($72) and some Theraderm Eternox Peptide Crème ($95) to help "prevent wrinkles." 
• Skriver also said that she will gently shave her whole face with a disposable razor once or twice a week to help clear her skin.
• When she has time, she also likes to use a sheet mask such as the SNP Animal Otter Aqua Mask Sheet ($5) to treat her skin.
• Lastly, she applies some Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm ($4.49) and a spritz or two of perfume as a finishing touch. 
• Watch her full tutorial below.

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• Brazilian model Sabrina Jales St. Pierre claims she was bitten by bed bugs during a 2016 stay at the Hilton-owned Embassy Suites in Palm Desert, California.
• According to The Desert Sun, she has now filed a lawsuit against Hilton Worldwide, Inc., Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., and Embassy Suites Management, LLC.
• Jales St. Pierre claims that she had a "severe reaction" to the alleged bed bug bites, which resulted in pain, discomfort, and emotional distress that impeded her ability to model.
• The general manager of the Palm Desert Embassy Suites, Carlos Mendoza, told INSIDER that two separate inspections of the room in which the model stayed turned up no evidence of a bed bug infestation.
• The hotel's management denies all allegations put forth by Jales St. Pierre.

A model who claims she was "massacred" by bed bugs during a 2016 stay at the Embassy Suites in Palm Desert, California, is now suing the Hilton-owned hotel.

In a lawsuit filed in Riverside County Superior Court, Sabrina Jales St. Pierre claims that she had a "severe reaction" to the alleged bed bug bites, which resulted in pain, discomfort, and emotional distress that impeded her ability to model, The Desert Sun reported.

The model's lawyer, Brian Virag, told INSIDER that his client noticed the alleged bites "shortly after checking into" her room at the Palm Desert Embassy Suites in late June 2016. According to Virag, Jales St. Pierre gradually woke up to more and more bites over the course of her stay, which spanned "less than a week," until they covered "pretty much her entire body," including her arms, legs, back, and shoulders. 

Virag, the founder of My Bed Bug Laywer, Inc., told The Desert Sun that the alleged bites "made [Jales St. Pierre] feel embarrassed, ashamed, and humiliated," leaving her with ongoing nightmares, "psychological trauma," and a "fear of bed bugs." 

Jales St. Pierre, a Brazilian model signed with New York City-based agency Next Management, has worked for brands like Victoria's Secret, Versace, and Ralph Lauren. According to The Desert Sun's report, she is seeking monetary and punitive damages against Hilton Worldwide, Inc., Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., and Embassy Suites Management, LLC. 

Jales St. Pierre and representatives for Hilton did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.

In an emailed statement to INSIDER, the general manager of the Palm Desert Embassy Suites, Carlos Mendoza, said the hotel denies all allegations put forth by Jales St. Pierre. According to Mendoza, when the model reported that she felt like "she had been bitten by bed bugs on her lower legs," hotel management "immediately" relocated the model to a different room and dry-cleaned "all her laundry" as a "gesture of hospitality."

"The comfort, health, safety, and security of our guests is of the utmost importance," Mendoza said. "Whenever there is a claim of bites from any number of pests, we have a protocol we follow to investigate."

But, according to the statement, two separate inspections of  Jales St. Pierre's original room — the first by the hotel's chief engineer and housekeeping manager and the second by a third-party pest control company — turned up no evidence of a bed bug infestation.

"Our experience with bed bugs though is that people travel with them and bring them to hotels," Mendoza told The Desert Sun. "Once they are in our rooms, we take corrective actions." He continued: "We did all the proper protocols and found no evidence. Now we have to go through the lawsuit to defend the reputation of the hotel."

Virag, who won a case in April that awarded $1.6 million to a family in California whose son was "permanently scarred by bedbug bites," told INSIDER that his firm exclusively specializes in bed bug litigation in order to "bring awareness to the public of a real epidemic-type problem, especially in hotels."

"Hopefully, hotel operators will respond proactively in dealing with bed bug exposure and infestations," the lawyer said.

Read the full statement from hotel management at the Palm Desert Embassy Suites below:

"The comfort, health, safety, and security of our guests is of the utmost importance. With regard to this incident, our guest reported she felt she had been bitten by bed bugs on her lower legs. We have a very comprehensive protocol in the event [a guest] reports any situation affecting their personal wellbeing. Whenever there is a claim of bites from any number of pests we have a protocol we follow to investigate. Our management immediately upon learning of Ms. Jales' allegation that she had bug bites she was relocated to a different room, in addition as a gesture of hospitality the hotel dry cleaned all her laundry. Hotel Management then proceeded to inspect the guest room for pests. The inspection of the room did not reveal any evidence of bed bugs. The Hotel took additional precautionary steps by contacting an outside pest control company. The pest control company reported and documented there was no evidence of any pest in the room including bed bugs. We deny the allegations put forth in the press and social media."

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• Victoria's Secret saw same-store sales slip in June.
• Jefferies analyst Randal Konik says the weak sales are reflective of more struggles to come at Victoria's Secret parent L Brands. 
• L Brands shares were down more than 11% on Thursday. 
• Watch L Brands trade in real time here. 

The struggles keep coming for L Brands and its Victoria's Secret brand. 

Victoria's Secret comparable sales fell 1% in June, and store-only comparables fell 6%. Those numbers were at least partially responsible for the more than 11% drop L Brands shares suffered on Thursday. 

And the numbers are the lastest example of how Victoria's Secret is rapidly losing market share to competitors like American Eagle Outfitters' Aerie, and is turning to discounts and promotions to turn things around. The struggles have been a big reason for the 45% drop in L Brands shares this year.

"It's Game Over For Victoria's Secret," Jefferies analyst Randal Konik wrote in a note sent out to clients after the sales figures were released. Victoria's Secret made up 47% of total L Brands revenue in the first-quarter. 

Konik thinks the bad sales numbers not only reflect that the brand is struggling now, but also that it is on a downward path going forward. "June sales showed VS struggling to drive traffic even when in semi-annual sale mode," he said. "The company admitted traffic was soft so the sale was extended and prices reduced further." 

He added, "We believe this all means the brand is broken."

And while Bath and Body Works had a solid showing in June, that doesn't make Konik optimistic on L Brands. That's because the company's Pink brand is also ailing. "PINK is game over too," he said. "Even PINK is seeing comps decline for a number of months now which shows us the customer has moved on." The company does not break out monthly sales figures for Pink. 

However, Konik suggests Aerie's increasing digital presence is a major catalyst for the switch in customer preference. 

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• Victoria's Secret is struggling. Sales have slipped recently, and it has been accused of alienating customers with its racy ads. 
• Several shoppers have taken to social media to complain that the quality of its products and customer service has also slipped. 
• Some customers who say they have stayed loyal to the brand for over a decade are now saying they will no longer shop there.

Victoria's Secret is on a bad run — sales have slipped, and its provocative ads are increasingly being seen as tone-deaf in the era of #MeToo.

As a result, more body-positive brands such as American Eagle's Aerie have knocked America's legacy lingerie brand off its pedestal and stolen away market share. 

Beyond these marketing issues, however, lies an even bigger problem with the company. Customers are speaking out on social media to complain that the quality of the retailer's products and the service that they receive in stores are slipping.

"I used to love this place... until the underwear I bought fell apart after two gentle washes," one shopper complained on Victoria's Secret's Facebook page. 

"You changed the manufacturing of one of the best bras I’ve ever worn. Your full coverage bra with underwire was an amazingly comfortable bra until you ruined it with cheap construction and thin fabrics. But, of course, the price remained the same," another shopper wrote. 

Unfortunately, these quality complaints don't seem to be limited to Victoria's Secret's lingerie, as several shoppers are complaining that its teen brand, Pink, also has some quality problems.  

"Bought 3 different pairs of pants in less than a year, and all 3 had defective seams and were torn after a couple of washes on the 'Delicate' cycle of my washer," one customer complained on Facebook.

Another shopper explained how a pair of Pink leggings ripped at the seams after she had worn them twice. She said she bought them again, twice, after which both pairs ripped in just a few months. 

Victoria's Secret did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on how it would be responding to these complaints or whether it had changed its manufacturer. 

It's not just quality — customer-service complaints are also frequent on Victoria's Secret's review page on Facebook. As a result, some shoppers who say they have stayed loyal to the brand for over a decade are now saying they won't be anymore. 

"I have been a customer for over 14 years, but can't do it anymore. Your product quality has severely worsened. The last straw was ordering items from the semi-annual sale, you put me on back order for items, then canceled it over two weeks later," one customer wrote on Facebook. "I typically don't rate businesses so poorly, but I had to."

Another customer wrote: "Just wanted to let you know Victoria, that your REAL secret is out: Your stores are understaffed, your lingerie is being ever more shoddily made, and your sales associates vacillate between disinterested, openly hostile, and completely inept."

Discontent towards the brand has been brewing. In April, new data from brand-insights firm YouGov showed that women's perception of Victoria's Secret has seen a slight decline since 2013. Its so-called "Buzz score," which tracks how customers feel about brands based on what they see and hear, has declined as Victoria's Secret has lost favor with women between the ages of 18 and 49.

SEE ALSO: These photos of Victoria's Secret commercials over the years reveal why the store is struggling in the #MeToo era

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