Social media was abuzz last night as the Spanish brand MANGO announced the launch of its plus-size line: Violeta. The line will hit 15 stores throughout Europe on Jan. 17, with sizes ranging from U.S. 8-20. The catch: Violeta won't be available in the States or online just yet.
I imagine that the decision to cross the Atlantic will depend on Violeta's success, but if the clothes stay true to MANGO's brilliant mix of grunge chic and working girl, the question of whether or not the line will attract customers is a pretty seems pretty... duh.
The past few weeks have seen a lot of brands take on plus-sizes. Just last weekend, Boohoo announced they'd be launching a plus-size line in March. And this new line will be available online, meaning we won't have to jet-set to Madrid just to go on a shopping spree. ASOS Black expand to sizes 14 and up in November, giving curvier gals a chance to wear the higher-quality chiffons, sequins, and other glam fabrics.
I can't help but feel optimistic about this news. So often, it's easy to fall into thinking that things will never change for fuller-figured women, and that all this plus-size blogging and fatshion is as fleeting as The Wanted's "kings of the boy bands" status. Just as they were replaced by One Direction, so will plus fashion be replaced by the next big trend. Maybe kilts... or something.
But news like this really makes you think, that things are actually happening. Bloggers, models, spokespeople — everyone who supports plus-size acceptance, be it in fashion or in Hollywood or in day-to-day life — are making a difference. Brands are changing and opening their eyes to the seemingly obvious fact that more sizes means more customers, and more customers means more money. At the end of the day, designers and brands want to be successful. They want people to wear their clothes. They want to make a living.
MANGO's launch of Violeta may just be the big push other brands need. MANGO is a step up from a label like Forever21, with a wider international profile, and a line that's more attractive across a broader range of ages. As long at Violeta caters to the expansive variety of ladies that MANGO does, I think it can only be an overnight success.
