By Ivy Pribish
Some students may have noticed the presence of Victoria Secret’s PINK Collegiate Collection in the company’s stores, but also the absence of the Northeastern logo on any of the line’s products.
The line currently features merchandise from 31 colleges and will be adding more, according to the company’s website. In local stores the name of Boston College is written on items including underwear, sweatshirts, sweatpants and tote bags.
At the beginning of the 2008 school year, some Northeastern students hoped for the same representation. An online contest through the Victoria’s Secret website allows students to nominate and vote for their universities to be featured on the line’s products. Some enthused students said they began voting fanatically.
“I had been waiting for this chance,” said freshman communication studies major Lauren MacLean. “I encouraged all my friends to vote daily.”
Northeastern students created a Facebook group to spread the word and encourage voting for the line. The group, called “Vote NEU for Victoria’s Secret Pink Clothing,” had 2,448 members as of Nov. 2. Since the group’s creation, Northeastern’s ranking on the list of colleges to be considered to be added had boosted from No. 55 to fourth, and as of last night are ranked No. 15. However, the group’s efforts may be wasted.
Interim university spokesperson Jim Chiavelli said the university will not allow the logo to be used on these products.
“We do not consider this application to be an appropriate use of the Northeastern identity,” Chiavelli said in a statement to The News. “Therefore the university will not grant permission for use of its logo on these items.”
Chiavelli said the university is sticking with its decision.
“If we were rated so highly, obviously students are interested,” said freshman criminal justice major Maryalice Brislin. “I don’t see why our school would want to take that away.”
She, as well as other members of the Facebook group, said they plan to continue voting and said they are seeking answers as to why Northeastern would reject this opportunity.
Some Northeastern students said they did not agree with the university’s reasoning.
“Northeastern gear isn’t available anywhere in Boston except our own bookstore. That’s why our school isn’t well known,” said freshman business marketing major Erica Salisbury.
Although Brooke Stull, a representative of Limited Brands, the company that owns Victoria’s Secret, would not directly comment on Northeastern’s refusal to allow the use of its logo, she said in an e-mail to The News that there are a lot of factors involved in partnering with schools.
“The online voting tool is an important factor in the process,” Stull said.
