{"id":5601,"date":"2025-05-23T17:25:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T15:25:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/?p=5601"},"modified":"2025-05-27T17:17:36","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T15:17:36","slug":"the-mutation-of-zara-from-fast-fashion-to-fast-luxury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/en\/green-corner-en\/the-mutation-of-zara-from-fast-fashion-to-fast-luxury\/","title":{"rendered":"The mutation of Zara: from fast fashion to fast luxury\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you happened to walk into any Zara store in the world, you surely will have noticed the genetic mutation that one of the first fast fashion brands is currently subjected to. In fact, we are talking about a kind of mutation that came from up above, willingly caused and carried out in order to reposition the sign and the brand. You only need to see what they come up with for the 50th anniversary. A video campaign with an iconic photographer and fifty top models. It seems to the point that, nowadays, they are offended if they are defined as fast fashion\u2026\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

by Domenico Casoria<\/em><\/p>\n

The 50th anniversary<\/strong><\/h3>\n

50 years celebrated in grand style. Behind the lens, none other than the legendary Steven Meisel<\/strong>. In front, instead, fifty top models – from Carla Bruni<\/strong> to Amber Valletta<\/strong>, from Cindy Crawford<\/strong> to Irina Shayk<\/strong>, from Mariacarla Boscono<\/strong> to Naomi<\/strong> – the elite of runways. The occasion, as we were saying, is the celebration for the five decades of Zara, from the first shop that Amancio Ortega<\/strong> opened on May 9th 1975 in Calle Juan Florez, in La Coru\u00f1a, Spain. It has been a while, especially because nowadays Zara has, in the meantime,\u00a0 transformed into a colossus that – net of a few questions – owns the expertise, the brand awareness, the heritage and even the budget of a large fashion maison. That\u00a0 is why the \u201cfast fashion\u201d category is no longer the right one to box it up.<\/p>\n

What has changed?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

First of all, the prices. A structural increase that has surely been experienced by all the world of fashion, but that at Zara is, at this point, evident. The reasons? To support the growth and expansion of the brand, as one would read in the glossary of economy. But the (obvious) secret is that Zara has invested – probably more than any other brand – in creativity<\/strong>. And it truly happened. During last year, for example, the brand called Stefano Pilati<\/strong>, ex creative director of Saint Laurent<\/strong>, for a collection of limited pieces. The strategy was the same: glamour, campaigns worthy of Avenue Montaigne and extremely refined products.<\/p>\n

A few months before, it was with Rhuigi Villase\u00f1or<\/strong>, ex creative director of Bally<\/strong>, that Zara tried to ultimately explore menswear. Even earlier it was the turn of Narciso Rodriguez<\/strong>, in a first-time 25 pieces collection that nowadays someone surely still dreams about. Net of the names, Zara\u2019s interest towards luxury is clear. Not to consider the\u00a0 significant change in the approach. Zara was able to gather and accommodate all the second-line exiles, all those who wanted a product made so-so, identifying, pleasing, and even pretentious. And the result shows.<\/p>\n

The questions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At this point, someone could turn up his nose at this. In the end, what is Zara missing in order to complete this transformation? Because if the answer is represented by sustainability<\/strong>, the Ancien R\u00e9gime of fashion has sold its soul to the devil years ago, precisely when it decided to go for it with the second lines. Coincidentally, produced in Turkey, Romania and bordering countries. The only impactful difference (on this theme) between Zara and the world of luxury is that Zara writes on the tags where a t-shirt truly comes from.<\/p>\n

And the supply chain<\/strong>? As those who pay attention would probably say. In order to solve this mystery, you only need to find out where a little dress that is sold for 2000 euros is produced (and how much it costs). And the manpower<\/strong>? Investigations on illegal recruitment. And transparency<\/strong>? Nowadays, Zara proposes products with a precise description, while the luxury tags sometimes get lost along the way. And the ateliers<\/strong>? They are truly missing, and it will probably be the only outpost that Zara won\u2019t be able to conquer. In fact, there is a point towards which Zara and luxury flow into: they both are not inclusive. If you want to check, try yourself a large size and then you’ll tell me.<\/p>\n

For the rest, Zara\u2019s exponential growth highlights\u00a0 all the flaws of the classic system that nowadays is desperately searching for clients. They\u2019ve all decided to migrate to Zara, which ended 2024 with revenues at +7,5%. The competition is truly in trouble, as it was outclassed in terms of creativity and sustainability. But Zara, over all, boasts a really special achievement: it is no longer considered cheap. Indeed, even the snootiest ones line up at its checkouts. For the rest, today we would excessively discount true luxury by continuously calling it fast fashion. Rather, let\u2019s define it as wannabe luxury.<\/p>\n

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