A shopping app called Wish has labeled its catalogue of clothes for plus-size women "fat lady." The dresses, tops, jumpsuits and skirts carry the description in the product listings that social media users were prompted to bring attention to it.
Product titles like "Fat Lady Knee Length Elegant Floral Dress Sleeveless Slim Fit Plus Size" or "Women Fashion Fat Lady Printing Slim A-line Dress Plus Size Turn-down Collar" are visibly displayed on the shopping site, leading one to conclude that it might have been an oversight. However, a search for "fat lady" on the app will reveal more than a dozen "fat lady" items, proving that the labeling is not a mistake.
Wish started as an obscure shopping site founded by Peter Szulczewski, which supposedly grew its business and investments in 2014. "Most of the orders were coming from heartland America or small towns," Wish board member Hans Tung said. "I loved it because that's the Walmart crowd, but younger."
The company hooks its online and app shoppers directly with Chinese manufacturers without having to go through any middlemen. In doing so, the prices of the items on Wish are a lot cheaper, but this might explain why the labels on the shopping site seem lost in translation. However, Wish supposedly has a San Francisco office with more than 50 staffers in its employ who could advise the boss about the inaccuracy, as these netizens did:
@WishShopping really wish, fat lady listings?! Despicable. pic.twitter.com/WEbSB1Bp5t
— Jaunna (@Jaunna) March 4, 2016
Really? #Fat #Lady in description? Coulda said #PlusSize or #GoddessSize! #Wish #ShameOnYou #ImNotFat #NoMoreOrders pic.twitter.com/bnfMA9tpR2 — Fefi Lockheart (@Fefi428) February 12, 2016
Well the app WISH is advertising this ripped off design for 'fat lady' @WishShopping that's terrible pic.twitter.com/wdOyjoawib — Tan_Tan (@tetitanya) January 18, 2016
This is not the first time Wish has been called out for fat shaming. The site also displayed product photos for plus-size clothes - like shorts or leggings - that were worn by skinny models. Only, the models fit their whole body into one of the legs.
The company has yet to take down the listings for both the photos and the "fat lady" labeling.
