Zara

About Zara

Zara is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer based in Arteixo, Galicia, and founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera.

 It is the flagship chain store of the Inditex group, the world's largest apparel retailer. The fashion group also owns brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Uterqüe, Stradivarius, Oysho and Bershka.

It is claimed that Zara needs just one week to develop a new product and get it to stores, compared to the six-month industry average, and launches around 12,000 new designs each year. Zara has resisted the industry-wide trend towards transferring fast fashion production to low-cost countries. Perhaps its most unusual strategy was its policy of zero advertising; the company preferred to invest a percentage of revenues in opening new stores instead. This has increased the idea of Zara as a "fashion imitator" company and low cost products. Lack of advertisement is also in contrast to direct competitors such as Uniqlo and United Colors of Benetton.

Number of stores

more than 2000

Founded

Amancio Ortega
Rosalía Mera
24 of may 1974

Parent Company

Inditex

Fun Facts

The first online boutique for ZARA was launched by Inditex on September 6, 2010. The website started catering its online services in Spain, the UK, Portugal, Italy, Germany and France—six countries that were among the then most important of the company’s 76 markets.

The most astonishing fact about ZARA is that the brand has managed to win over the fashionistas as well as the masses. From Hollywood to Bollywood, the brand is loved by all. Moreover Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge also has a strong inclination towards the brand. Kate Middleton has been recognized frequently in using ZARA. Interestingly the day after her wedding to Prince William, Kate stepped out in a cornflower blue, pleated polyester £49.99 ZARA dress. This proves that ZARA is one of Middleton’s options for performing the best fashionable look.

Retail management profiles: Zara

Find out more about what it’s really like to be a store manager for Zara and tips on how to apply.