Mango's plus size collection under fire for starting at size 12

Nearly 60,500 angry consumers have signed a petition online on Charge.org,

boycotting Violeta the newly launch plus size range from Spanish based retailer Mango. The consumers are petitioning for a change in Violeta collection and marketing campaign that insinuates that size 12 is a plus size.

The new collection, which recently launched in stores in Spain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, and Russia as well as online, has been met with anger from female shoppers. “Labeling size 12 as a plus-size implies a totally distorted vision of reality,” wrote the petition's founder, Arantxa Calvera from Barcelona.

“The Spanish Ministry of Health established in 2007 that a distinction could only be made beginning with size 20,” added Calvera, stressing that collections like Violeta stimulates eating disorders among young women such as anorexia and bulimia.

Other consumers around Europe agree with Calvera and have been expressing their disappointment with the retailer via social media site such as Facebook and Twitter for implying that size 12 is a plus size.

A company spokesperson for Mango previously stated: “In view of the controversy surrounding the launch of Violeta by Mango, the company would like to reiterate that Violeta by Mango is a new brand within the group which was created to cover an existing demand in the market by offering a fashion collection in sizes that extend up to 24.”

“What differentiates said brand is the attention to technical details, pattern to pattern and size to size, and the selection of garment materials and fabrics, which have been produced to be more comfortable, feminine and modern. The key characteristic of this line is the personalisation of the collection to a new target market, the result of painstaking work and effort on the silhouette and pattern of each size.”

However the company spokesperson failed to directly respond to the controversy surrounding their sizing range and including size 12 in its plus size collection. Other consumers have also complained on Facebook that the collection is too basic and simple, and that the collection needs to be expanded to better suit the needs of curvy women.