For some years now, the brand founded by Ortega has raised its prices, and for traditional fast fashion consumers, Zara’s transformation and how it differs from its competitors have been immediately clear. It is no longer (just) about production in remote corners of the world, but about targeted collections produced even in Europe. And yes, creativity plays a part too. Thus, the myth of the production difference (at least in part) with the traditional fashion system crumbles, starting with ready-to-wear
by Domenico Casoria
Once upon a time, it was all a wasteland known as fast fashion. Then came Shein and Temu to compete on price and inferior products. And so the ‘traditional’ European brands – those that, to put it plainly, had flooded the old continent with products made who knows where – had to arm themselves with patience and start afresh. There is one brand that has managed to do this better than others, and by ‘one’, we mean Zara. The brand, which can boast of being the first in fast fashion (the New York Times coined the term in 1989 specifically to refer to the giant founded by Amancio Ortega), has in recent years shaken off the image of a cheap manufacturer, succeeding in changing perceptions on a global scale.
Zara’s metamorphosis
Just last year, a BBC report explained the giant’s production methods. “Just over half of its garments are produced in Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Turkey. There is a small-scale production facility at the headquarters, and seven others owned by the company are located nearby.” The headquarters are in Arteixo, a town in Galicia, and a few kilometres away, in Coruña, lies the very first shop opened by Zara itself. It is clear, therefore, that some of what is subsequently distributed worldwide comes from European factories accustomed to certain standards. The most basic garments, on the other hand, “are produced with longer lead times in countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh”.
There is, therefore, a fairly sharp dichotomy between more sought-after items (which then end up in stores at a higher price) and basic lines that, on the other hand, continue to be priced like a classic fast-fashion product. Of course, there is also a model of efficiency behind it all. “What is absolutely fundamental is the level of precision,” emphasised Oscar Garcia Maceiras, CEO of Inditex, Zara’s parent company. But the key difference is that whilst in previous years most competitors outsourced production to the Far East, with lead times exceeding six months and lower costs, the same did not happen at Zara. Instead, it chose to acquire local factories and manufacture in Europe. This has enabled it to be faster and more responsive to trends.
The creative aspect
At this point, the issue also becomes creative: whereas the giant once bore the stigma of being a ‘luxury copycat’, the system has now been fine-tuned and follows the rules of a classic fashion brand. With inspiration drawn from everything. And with a paradigm shift, as Maceiras himself emphasised when asked about competition from Shein and Temu. “We are currently focused on offering our customers affordable products. But for us, it is essential to offer fashion that is a source of inspiration, quality, creativity and sustainability.” Which sounds a bit like what ready-to-wear used to do. Comparisons are clearly pointless, even though after fifty years in business, Zara now boasts a significant archive. But, apart from a few sacred and inviolable ateliers, and perhaps a greater focus on materials, what difference is there today between the two worlds?
Photo: Zara
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