Melody Felicano Johnson is charged with attempted first-degree homicide, aggravated assault, and adding poison to food or drink

Victoria’s Secret is dropping its feminist makeover and bringing back “sexiness” as it tries to reverse a slump in sales. The lingerie brand ditched its glamorous catwalks and signiture ‘angels’ in 2018, and instead promoted a more diverse array of female ambassadors including Megan Rapinoe and Priyanka Chopra who modelled a line of relaxed loungewear. But executives are now reportedly re-embracing “sex appeal” after the short-lived makeover failed to boost sales. During a presentation last week, a top executive said Victoria’s Secret would be the subject of an image overhaul, adding “sexiness can be inclusive”. “Sexiness can celebrate the diverse experiences of our customers and that’s what we’re focused on,” Greg Unis, brand president of the company’s youth-focused venture Victoria’s Secret & Pink, told investors on Thursday (13 October). The reboot is part of a larger strategy to revive its sales after a five-year marketing overhaul fell short of expectations. According to the Business of Fashion, Victoria’s Secret is projecting $6.2bn in earnings this fiscal year – a five per cent drop on sales in 2022, and well below the $7.4bn sales reported in 2018. Now, Victoria’s Secret has laid out a roadmap to bolstering its revenue, including cost-cutting, reviving its swimwear and activewear ranges, and further expanding its offerings to include products such as sweaters, slip dresses, and corsets. Giving its stores a more “welcoming” facelift is also part of the plan. Chief executive Martin Waters added that the retailer’s inclusivity initiatives and campaigns had “not been enough to carry the day”, referring to the company’s performance in recent years. Once the purveyors of Swarovski-studded undergarments and unrealistic body standards, Victoria’s Secret has, in recent years, embarked on a journey to shed its hyper-sexualised image and pay attention to changing social norms. The attempt to rehabiliate its public perception also followed criticism that it promoted typically thin, white models as the preferred beauty standard. Its initial attempt to adjust its image came hot on the heels of declining sales due to the emergence of inclusive and diversity-friendly brands such as Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty and Third Love, as well as several controversies including top management at L Brands – the former parent company of Victoria’s Secret. In 2018, L Brands’ then-marketing boss Ed Razek sparked a backlash when he declared that Victoria’s Secret would never cast transgender and plus-size models in its annual Fashion show because it’s a “fantasy”. Razek resigned the following year after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour with models – allegations he called “categorically untrue, misconstrued or taken out of context”. Around the same time, an investigation by The New York Times uncovered ties between L Brands’ former chief executive Lex Werne and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, which further sullied the reputation of Victoria’s Secret. In an effort to rehabilitate its image, the brand’s recent campaigns have featuring stars such as former US women’s football captain Megan Rapinoe, plus-size models Paloma Elsesser and Ali Tate-Cutler, and Brazillian transgender model Valentina Sampaio. Last month, Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ‘23 was released on Amazon Prime, with the company declaring the televised catwalk event was the “ultimate expression” of its commitment to a new Victoria’s Secret that’s more in step with the times. Despite its struggles, Victoria’s Secret still owns a lion’s share of the north American market today. “We’ve been insufficiently differentiated in this difficult market,” Waters said, during the meeting last Thursday. “[But] our ambition of being the world’s leading fashion retailer of intimates apparel is unchanged.” Read More Victoria’s Secret was never feminist – why are they bothering to try now? Victoria's Secret overhauls its racy fashion catwalk in its latest moves to be more inclusive From Naomi Campbell to Hailey Bieber: All the top models and celebs in Victoria Secret’s new Icons campaign Black magic: Go back to black this season with the catwalk-inspired trend From collars to gloomy garments: How to dress like Wednesday Addams for Halloween Why Travis Kelce relies on ‘instinct’ and ‘panic’ when getting dressed

A manhunt continues for a dangerous inmate who escaped from a Pennsylvania prison last week as authorities focus on a heavily wooded area in Pocopsen Township after four confirmed sightings. Danelo Cavalcante, 34, has been on the run in Chester County since Thursday after he was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the fatal stabbing of his 33-year-old ex-girlfriend. District Attorney Deb Ryan announced at a press briefing on Monday that the Pennsylvania State Police will be taking over the investigation and manhunt. “The goal right now is to find and capture this dangerous fugitive,” Ms Ryan said, adding that she understands the community’s concerns. “We are doing everything in our power to get this guy.” The search is focused on a two-mile radius of a heavily wooded area in Pocopsen Township, Chester County where there have been four credible sightings since the escape. Police said on Monday that over the past five days, Cavalcante has been spotted at the intersection of Rt. 926 and Rt. 52, north on Rt. 52 to Parkersville Road, southeast to Rt. 926 and west to the intersection of Rt. 926 and Rt. 52 in Pocopson Township. Ryan said police have responded to well over 100 tips from neighbours in the area, including allegations of possible break-ins within the two-mile radius of the prison. “We are requesting that residents in the area of Pocopson Township remain inside. Lock your doors, lock your cars. He is still considered an extremely dangerous individual. There is evidence to suggest that he’s still in that local residence. We do not believe he has gotten more than one to two miles away from the prison,” Ms Ryan said. “We believe we are getting closer to locating the suspect at this time, and we are narrowing the scope of our search,” she added. Community members were also made aware that an audio recording from Cavalcante’s mother will be played throughout the day from police cars and helicopters. The message, which is in Portuguese – Cavalcante’s native tongue – is of his mother pleading for him to surrender peacefully. He was spotted on cameras around 12.30am on Saturday in Pocopson Township, roughly one and a half miles from the prison. Local authorities received a report of an attempted burglary in the area just an hour before Cavalcante was captured on surveillance but it is not immediately clear if he was involved. Police said residents in the area should scan video from their doorbells or surveillance cameras for anything suspicious. They also advised people to check their cars and any sheds on their property. Cavalcante is described as a 5ft Brazilian man with light complexion, shaggy, black curly hair and brown eyes. He is also wanted for a homicide in 2017 in Brazil, the US Marshals Service for Philadelphia said. Since his escape, he was seen wearing a light-coloured shirt, pants, and white sneakers. He was also carrying a backpack, but police said they don’t know when he obtained the bag. Hundreds of law enforcement teams, including the US Marshals, SWAT, local, state, and other federal agencies, have joined the search. Authorities are also offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to Cavalcante’s arrest. Authorities urged people to not approach Cavalcante, who speaks Portuguese and Spanish. Cavalcante killed his ex-girlfriend in Schuylkill Township in front of the victim’s seven-year-old daughter and a three-year-old before fleeing to Virginia. Ms Ryan called it a “heartbreaking tragedy”. Read More Danelo Cavalcante killed his girlfriend in front of her children. Now he’s on the run after a prison break Escaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante spotted on surveillance camera in Pennsylvania

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