Hot trend for lingerie stores? Targeting teens

Victoria's Secret was once considered a shopping destination for the woman over the age of 18 who had her own income and, presumably, a love life to go with it. 

But now the chain, run by Limited Brands (LTD), and other retailers have hit upon a growth market: teenage girls, from middle-school grades and up, according to Bloomberg News. 

Speaking about her 13-year old daughter, shopper Kathleen Jordan told Bloomberg, "Now she has more bras than I do, in every color under the sun." She added that her daughter's girlfriends are also buying intimates from Victoria's Secret. 

Justice, a store that sells to 7- to 12-year-olds, is selling flowered panties and tie-dye bras, while teen chain Hot Topic is testing an edgy line of intimates that include a "killer extreme push-up bra" and panties with skulls and and ruffles. 

The retailers are "all going to say they’re targeting 18- to 22-year-olds, but the reality is you’re going to get the younger customer,” Marcie Merriman, founder of retail and brand strategy consultancy PrimalGrowth, told Bloomberg. 

It's a far cry from the limited choices that middle-school and high-school girls had just a couple decades ago. Then, the biggest choice was what color of cotton underwear to pick. Teens and younger girls now aspire to the styles worn by celebrities, ranging from thongs to colorful bras that are worn to be visible under clothing. 

The push toward younger lingerie buyers comes as retail sales growth slows. Retail sales barely budged last month, as consumers were hit by higher taxes and gasoline prices, Reuters reports. 

Victoria's Secret's Pink brand, meanwhile, is expected to become a $3 billion business -- up from about $1.5 billion now -- in a few years, Bloomberg notes. While the brand is sold to all ages, it's popular with younger buyers.

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