{"id":6465,"date":"2026-06-17T15:54:51","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T13:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/?p=6465"},"modified":"2026-06-19T10:19:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T08:19:10","slug":"from-fast-fashion-to-almost-exclusively-fashion-zaras-transformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/en\/green-corner-en\/from-fast-fashion-to-almost-exclusively-fashion-zaras-transformation\/","title":{"rendered":"From fast fashion to “almost exclusively fashion”: Zara\u2019s transformation"},"content":{"rendered":"

For some years now, the brand founded by Ortega has raised its prices, and for traditional fast fashion consumers, Zara\u2019s 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<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

by Domenico Casoria<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once upon a time, it was all a wasteland known as fast fashion. Then came Shein <\/strong>and Temu <\/strong>to compete on price and inferior products. And so the \u2018traditional\u2019 European brands \u2013 those that, to put it plainly, had flooded the old continent with products made who knows where \u2013 had to arm themselves with patience and start afresh. There is one brand that has managed to do this better than others, and by \u2018one\u2019, 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<\/strong>), has in recent years shaken off the image of a cheap manufacturer, succeeding in changing perceptions on a global scale.<\/p>\n

Zara\u2019s metamorphosis<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Just last year, a BBC report explained the giant\u2019s production methods. \u201cJust over half of its garments are produced in Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Turkey. There is a small-scale production<\/strong> facility at the headquarters, and seven others owned by the company are located nearby.\u201d The headquarters are in Arteixo, a town in Galicia, and a few kilometres away, in Coru\u00f1a, 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, \u201care produced with longer lead times in countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh\u201d.<\/p>\n

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. \u201cWhat is absolutely fundamental is the level of precision,\u201d emphasised Oscar Garcia Maceiras<\/strong>, CEO of Inditex, Zara\u2019s 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 <\/strong>and more <\/strong>responsive to trends.<\/p>\n

The creative aspect<\/strong><\/h3>\n

At this point, the issue also becomes creative: whereas the giant once bore the stigma of being a \u2018luxury copycat\u2019, 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. \u201cWe 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.\u201d 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 <\/strong>is there today between the two worlds?<\/p>\n

Photo: Zara<\/em><\/p>\n

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