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Victoria’s Secret Founder Today: Is Les Wexner Still Alive?

Leslie “Les” Wexner is appearing on Hulu’s Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons. So, viewers might wonder where is he today? Is he still alive?

This article covers it all.

Is Les Wexner Still Alive?

Yes, Les Wexner is still alive. He was born in September 1937 which makes him 84 years old as of July 2022.

Where Is Les Wexner Today?

Les Wexner is currently based in Albany, Ohio with his wife and kids. He is now retired. He owns a 30-room, $47 million, Georgian-inspired estate, on nearly 336 acres (1.4 km²), that was built in 1990. (Adipex)

Moreover, Les serves as the chairman emeritus of Bath & Body Works, Inc. He made the announcement in February 2020 that he was stepping down as CEO of Limited Brands into the role of chairman emeritus.

Les also sold a majority stake in Victoria’s Secret for $525 million to a private equity firm.

He came onto the public radar after his relationship with financier Jeffrey Epstein was ousted. The relationship between Jeffrey and Les came into close inspection after Jeffrey was arrested on suspicion of sex trafficking minors.

A spokesperson for Les told Business Insider that the CEO of L Brands, Victoria’s Secret’s parent company, cut ties with Jeffrey years ago (in 2007), back in the late ’90s and early 2000s Les was one of Epstein’s only known clients. In fact, Harold Levin, Les’s former financial advisor revealed that he took a trip to New York in 1989 to meet Jeff who was pitching a business idea.

Harold warned Les to stay away from him after returning from his visit. But, he was shocked when Jeffrey returned back a few months later announcing that Les put him in charge of his finances.

“He was an asshole. The most arrogant person I ever met,” Levin recalled. A few months later, Levin quit. On his way out, Jeffrey boasted that Les had given him the power of attorney.

According to Vanity Fair, Les paid Jeffrey’s predecessor about $600,000 a year in today’s dollars. By the time, he was in prison, Jeff was worth $559 million. His estate included a 51,000-square-foot Manhattan townhouse (bought from Wexner); a private jet (formerly owned by The Limited) and a helicopter; a Caribbean island; a Paris apartment; a Palm Beach mansion; and a 10,000-acre New Mexico ranch.

Prosecutors claimed that Jeff built his vast sex-trafficking ring throughout the ’90s and early aughts. In other words, Epstein became Epstein during his long association with Wexner.

Les only spoke about his relationship with Jeff after his death. But, he added that he was a victim as Jeff took his advantage.

“Being taken advantage of by someone who was so sick, so cunning, so depraved is something that I’m embarrassed that I was even close to,” Wexner said during a speech in September 2019. In a letter to his charitable foundation around this time, Wexner claimed Epstein had “misappropriated vast sums of money from me and my family”.

Not only that but Jeff was also involved in Leslie’s personal and dating life.

How Much Is Les Wexner Net Worth?

According to Forbes, Les Wexner is worth $5.6 billion. In 1963 with a $5,000 loan from his aunt, he founded Limited Brands (now Bath & Body Works, Inc) and went on to grow a retail-business empire.

According to Harold Levin, Les is considered a legend in his hometown. In Upper Arlington, Ohio’s Kingsdale Shopping Center, he opened his first store, The Limited, in August 1963, selling skirts, sweaters, and shirts. Wexner had set up 100 The Limited locations by the year 1976.

In addition, Les would increase his ownership of Abercrombie & Fitch, Express Inc., and Bath & Body Works. When Roy Raymond, the company’s founder, sold Victoria’s Secret to him in 1982, the modest San Francisco chain was on the verge of going out of business. The company was purchased by Wexner for $1 million; by the time it reached its peak value of $7 billion.

The inaugural Victoria’s Secret fashion show took place in August 1995. The runway show, which featured some of the top models strolling in lingerie while donning enormous angel wings, developed into a cultural phenomenon and continued to be held annually until 2018. Managing the fashion displays was Ed Razek.

Les Wexner Young

Leslie-Wexner-Young
Leslie Wexner When He Was Relatively Young In 1976 (Pic: Columbus Dispatch)

Les Wexner Daughters

Les Wexner has two daughters, Hannah Wexner and Sarah Wexner.

Sarah, 23 years old, manages the family estate in England where Epstein meets Les Wexner for Victoria’s Secret “shooting parties” regularly. Hannah, born on 26 July 1995, turned 26 years old.

Les had both of his daughter with his wife Abigail S Koppel. In addition, they also share two sons; Harrison Wexner and David Wexner.

Abigail S Koppel and Les Wexner married on 23 January 1993 in New Albany, Ohio. Around 1990, Wendy Meister introduced him to his wife Abigail, a then-corporate lawyer in her late 20s, who worked in the London office of Davis Polk, The Limited’s outside law firm. “Abigail was so secretive about it,” a friend from London recalled. “She said, ‘Don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to jinx it.’ ”

While the bride was 31 years old, the groom was 55 years old at the time of the wedding. Neither of them had been married before that. In 29 years of their married life, there haven’t been any reports of marital conflict or rumors of their divorce.

According to sources, Jeffrey took an interest in Wexner’s romantic life. In 1985, New York magazine put Les on the cover with the headline “The Bachelor Billionaire”. Les dated but the relationships didn’t tend to last. Around the time Les met Epstein, he broke up with a Columbus woman. According to sources, Jeffrey showed up at her house with a multimillion-dollar check and told her to stay away from Wexner.

As reported, their friendship also didn’t sit well with Les’s Bella. Sources said she wanted Les to settle down and get married. “Bella hated Epstein. She was so blunt”.

Jeff reportedly arranged Wexner and Koppel’s prenuptial agreement and was one of 50 attendees at their January 1993 wedding ceremony. Les even gave Epstein Bella’s seat on the board of the Wexner Foundation.

Related FAQs

  • Where Is Les Wexner House?

Les Wexner and his family live in a house that he owns in Albany, Ohio.

Les-Wexner-House
Les Wexner’s house in Albany, Ohio (Pic: Columbus Dispatch)
  • Does Les Wexner Make An Appearance On Hulu’s Victoria’s Secret: Angels And Demons?

Ye, Les Wexner is appearing on Hulu’s Victoria’s Secret: Angel And Demons. His appearance has been credited on the IMDB page.

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