Former Victoria’s Secret Designer Nabbed By Journelle

Victoria’s Secret designer alum, Rania Abu-Eid, has been hired by Journelle, as Senior Designer of their design department, according to New York Business Journal. Journelle is a New York based multi-brand lingerie retailer and has decided to launch a line of its own. Former Victoria’s Secret designer, Abu-Eid, will be overseeing the retailer’s plans to launch its first private-label collection by the 2014 holiday season.

Abu-Eid was with Victoria’s Secret for nearly eight years. She was one of the brand’s head designers for their high-end design collections. Starting out on Victoria’s Secret’s concept team, she worked her way up through the company until she was under the vice president. Under the vice president of the company, Abu-Eid helped launch and build Victoria’s Secret’s high-end collections which are sold exclusively in flagship stores.

According to PR Newswire, Abu-Eid said in a statement that she was ready for a new challenge and had been a fan of Journelle for some time. Plus, as she said, the opportunity to be a part of a growing boutique brand and to help create its identity at the outset does not come around very often in the fashion industry with brands such as Victoria’s Secret.

Journelle said the upcoming private-label line fits into its plans for opening new stores and reaching a broader audience. The plan is to debut its first collection later this year with curated capsule collections and then adding designer collaborations later on. Journelle currently operates Manhattan stores in SoHo, Union Square and on the Upper East Side, which is the same area where some Victoria’s Secret stores can be found.

One thing is for sure, 2014 is shaping up to be a year full of opportunities for Abu-Eid while she says goodbye to Victoria’s Secret and hello to Journelle. It may take a while for the retailer to meet Victoria’s Secret’s standards, but with Abu-Eid’s expertise, the ride to the top should be a little smoother.