Great Brand, Great Usability

With Valentine's Day around the corner, Brandchannel.com reviews the Victoria's Secret site in its Webwatch column and gives it high marks for UX:

The site's usability is a rare success for such well-branded design. Often, an excessive focus on creativity leads to websites that are confusing and difficult to use. Not this one. The front-page menus are located on the top and their hierarchy is particularly well organized.

VS's Catalogue Quick Order garners special praises—accolades which I echo; it's beautifully done. Visitors first "sync" their hard copy catalogs to the site by selecting a thumbnail of its cover. An index page provides instant access (by page number or category) to images of that catalog's pages. Clicking on a product links directly to the item's order page. Very slick.