When Victoria Beckham announced she was launching a new collection with high-street brand Mango, we literally all jumped for joy. But, unfortunately, the launch hasn’t exactly gone to plan for the designer. The range doesn’t run above a UK size 14, with most items only going up to a 12, and this has led to criticism that VB isn’t body positive.
“Victoria was so proud of the collection she created with Mango. She has always wanted her fans to be able to buy some of her clothing, and she worked so hard making something affordable but still stylish. However, she wasn’t expecting the backlash over the sizing, which has left her in tears,” we’re told.
“A few years ago, she made a huge deal about being inclusive, saying being skinny was out, but she hasn’t exactly practised what she preached. Now, she’s worried about the backlash from fans and how she’s going to be held accountable for this error in judgement. She wanted to make bigger sizes, but it just wasn’t possible and she feels this has tarnished what has been an amazing few weeks.”
A few years ago, Vic insisted that wanting a slimmer frame was a thing of the past. In an interview in 2022, the star, 50, said, “It’s an old-fashioned attitude, wanting to be really thin. I think women today want to look healthy, and curvy.”
She added that it was spending time in Miami, where David’s football team is based, that helped changed her mindset.
“There are a lot of really curvy women in Miami, and they really own it,” she said.
“They show their bodies off with such confidence. I found both their attitude and their style really liberating. And as a mother, I loved the fact that Harper was around women who were really celebrating their curves and just enjoying how they look.”
That same year, the size-six fashion designer launched clothing range VB Body, which went up to a size 18. But now, fans have found the recent lack of inclusivity hurtful.
“David has said not to let the backlash bother her, and normally she is quite thick-skinned. But she is still scarred by all the criticism about her own body over the years and she knows that not being inclusive is a big no-no in 2024,” says our source. “She wants to be a role model for Harper and other young girls, and knows the issues she had growing up because of the pressure placed on women’s bodies.
“However, her main aim was affordability, so that was her focus, rather than the sizing. And Mango isn’t known for its plus-size ranges. But she’s been having crisis talks with her team, and as this is just the first of many collaborations, she knows she can turn this around.”
Hoping that the criticism doesn’t set her back too much – especially because last year was the first time that her fashion brand turned a profit in the 15 years since its creation – our insiders inform us that Posh is working hard to learn from her mistake. For their part, Mango have responded to the backlash with a statement, saying, “We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment caused by size availability in the Victoria Beckham x Mango collection. We would like to inform you that there is an ongoing process to introduce a broader range of sizes in our collections.”
Our source adds, “It’s not the first time she’s faced criticism like this and she is trying, but Victoria knows she has to do better. She’s all about women and celebrating all shapes and sizes, and will be working hard to ensure this doesn’t happen again.
“When a woman buys her clothes, she wants them to feel amazing. That will always be her goal.”