US lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret is in talks to buy La Senza, reports claim.

Limited Brands - Victoria’s Secret US parent - is in discussions with Lion Capital, the private equity owner of La Senza, according to the Independent on Sunday.

Limited Brands already owns 258 La Senza stores in Canada, which is not related to the UK retailer, which operates 175 shops.

Lion Capital bought La Senza UK from Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Theo Paphitis in 2004 and owns 100% of the retailer’s long-term debt.

Victoria’s Secret is planning a move in to the UK next year with its first UK store set to open on Bond Street while former La Senza owner Paphitis is launching his new lingerie chain Boux Avenue with the first store set to open in March, as revealed by Retail Week last year.