Have you ever shopped with Mango, the clothing brand? In case you were wondering, it’s a clothing retailer based out of Barcelona, Spain started by Isak Andic and his family in 1984. Currently, it has 2,100 locations worldwide and an e-commerce site that is globally accessible. In 2017, the companies’ worth was about $2.5 billion. At one point, there were several locations throughout the USA, but now it has only 3 brick-and-mortar locations in New York City and soon to be a location in New Jersey, outside of the city. The company continues to maintain a strong presence in Europe, especially in Spain and Istanbul, Turkey, which is where the founder is originally from.
Well tell us more about the clothes, you ask. We want to know more about the quality, the average price point, the target audience, and styles available, you know the good stuff. Okay, sure. We can get into that. Today, we are going to take a brief look at Mango stores online presence, from the website to its social media platforms to get a solid idea of what Mango clothing’s brand story truly is, but more importantly what value it brings to its customers. In the end, I’ll create a list of pros and cons about the brand that I’ve gathered from my findings.
What is Mango Clothing?
Mango, the clothing retailer’s aesthetic, quality, and price-point are similar to other retailers such as Zara, ASOS, Topshop, and H&M, which are all known for providing fast-fashion and mimicking high-end designer styles and recreating them at more affordable prices. Garments range between $30-150 on average, while the quality is basically what you pay for.
A few interesting things about the brand I discovered are:
- It has an outlet store, Mango Outlet, which has a separate website from the original Mango store’s site.
- They deny any responsibility in 2013 for the Rana Plaza factory building collapse in Bangladesh, killing over 1,100 factory workers and injuring over 1,000 more people, even though they were producing samples there at the time of the collapse.
- They did a collaboration for JCPenney in 2010 known as MNG by Mango, which came to an end in 2015.
- It’s tagline on Instagram is “Welcome to the home of Mediterranean style and culture.”
What Value Does Mango Clothing Bring to its Customers?
- Higher-end look without the expensive prices – It’s a one-stop shop for people who want to have that high-end look or who like mixing high and low-end pieces.
- Versatile, yet cohesive brand aesthetic – A bit more dressed up than the casual American look, yet utilizing simple, minimalistic pieces that can serve as easy transitional pieces between day and night looks.
Pros and Cons of shopping at Mango
Pros
- Classic, effortless style that’s not overly trendy. While some trends come and go within 6 months to a year, Mango provides fashions that are more classic and less likely to go out of style. Their pieces have the potential to remain in your closet for years, assuming they will last that long.
- Neutral color-palette. The colors available are neutral, which may have a reputation for being boring, though it never fails to look chic and works with all skin-tones, hair, and eye colors. Plus, neutral tones pair well with jewelry and other accessories, which you can use to spice or dress up your wardrobe if needed.
- Traditional patterns. Not going to lie, there are very few patterns or unique prints included in Mango’s clothing. Although the patterns which are present have a very traditional feel to them. If you are someone who fears taking fashion risks, then this is the brand for you.
- Appropriate for all ages. Mango serves women, men, and kids, as they provide clothing for lounging and casual use, as well as days spent at school, in the office, or enjoying leisurely activities. It’s simple and effortless approach to fashion makes it a great option for people of all ages.
- Diversity in models. While scrolling through Mango’s Instagram and website, I was happy to see men, women, and children of various racial backgrounds represented. However, I still think that the brand could improve on its representation of diversity more, which I will cover in the con section.
Cons
- Lack of diversity in models. You might be thinking, what? You literally just listed diversity in models as a pro but hear me out. While there is representation of all shades of melanin on both Mango’s website and social media, what they lack in diversity is greater than what they currently provide.
- Plus sized models are not featured on their Instagram at all, though they provide women’s sizes 10 – 22. And yes, they consider sizes 10 and 12 to be plus sizes. Perhaps, it has to do with the difference between American sizing standards and European.
- The lack of trans individuals being represented. I know gender-neutral concepts in fashion are groundbreaking and relatively new, but if they want to be inclusive, this needs to be something that should be addressed.
- Fast fashion is wasteful and discredits the original designers.
- As much as I love a great bargain, you must admit that fast-fashion leads to excessive waste and is terrible for the environment.
- In addition to its being wasteful, it discredits the original designers. You know the high-end fashion designers that brands like Mango copy and mass distribute as soon as a runway show is over.
Final Thoughts
Mango clothing might be for you if you enjoy:
- Low prices
- Minimalist style
- Easy to transition looks, from day to evening
However, keep in mind that when you choose to shop at places like Mango you are also choosing to ignore real-life problems that have long-term negative effects such as:
- Sustainability in fast-fashion production
- The health/safety conditions of factory workers
- Inclusive/diverse representation of all people
- Discrediting the original high-end fashion designers whose ideas are stolen from fast-fashion companies
Reference List:
- https://www.forbes.com/profile/isak-andic/?sh=e7724de2d08d
- https://shop.mango.com/us
- https://www.instagram.com/mango/
- https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/world/asia/report-on-bangladesh-building-collapse-finds-widespread-blame.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/31/world/asia/garment-makers-stumble-on-call-for-accountability.html
