There is hardly another same mass market brand as Zara, which reacts so accurately and promptly to the tendencies from the catwalks. For example, when a “ugly” shoes came into fashion a few seasons ago, the Spanish brand with a lightning speed introduced her version of “Birkenstokov”. And this happens with all the most relevant trends, whether it is velvet, artificial fur or a print in the style of grandmother’s seats. For this, we, frankly, love Zara – who else will give us the opportunity for sane money to replenish the wardrobe with the most desired news? But do we know all about this brand? Stylenews collected 15 facts that you could not even guess about.
The first Zara store in La Korunet, Spain, 1982
1. The first Zara store was opened in 1975 in the city of La Corunier in Spain and works to this day.
2. In the first collections of the brand, the captains of the collections of famous fashion houses were presented.
3. As of October 2015, 86 Zara of 2.1 thousand stores were opened in Russia. All around the world.
4. The founder of the brand, Amansio Ortega never gives an interview. In 2015, he became the richest businessman of the planet according to Forbes. The entrepreneur went around Bill Gates himself, founder of Microsoft.
5. Ortega wanted to name his brainchild Zorba, in honor of the character of Anthony Kuinna in the film “Greek Zorba”. But it was not possible to get the rights to use this name and had to abandon the idea.
Frame from the movie Zorba The Greek, 1964
6. More than 200 designers operate on the company who are developing male, female and children’s lines of clothing.
7. Zara produces on average 11.000 items per year. For comparison, competing brands do not exceed the number in 4.000 items.
8. If any model is poorly sold, it is immediately removed from sale, all orders for production are canceled and another design is urgently developed.
9. All brand models are in stores no longer than four weeks. Thus, marketers push buyers to visit the store more of10.
10. The entire cycle of production and shoes Zara – from sewing to the adversary takes no more than two weeks.
11. Zara produces its most fashionable models at its own factories in Spain and Portugal. But basic lines are manufactured in Turkey and Asian countries.
12. In 2007, a scandal flared up around Zara. The fault was one of the models of bags on which some some customers saw a hint of swastika. History managed to hush up, and the bags were urgently removed from the prison.
13. Another unpleasant story for the brand took place in August 2014. The design of T -shirts greatly looked like a Jews prisoners in the concentration camp: stripes and yellow star, similar in appearance to the star of David. Despite the explanations of the company’s representatives that designers were inspired by the form of sheriffs from classic westerns, the scandaling models were removed from all stores in several hours. And the brand apologized.
14. The first Zara online store was opened on November 4, 2010 and functioned at first only in Spain.
15. The main philosophy of the company, which allows to provide low prices – the use of fabrics worth less than $ 5 per meter.
16. “Zara does not need advertising” is another company’s motto answering the question why you will never find Zara advertising posters on the streets and on the Internet. To ensure traffic, the company opens new outlets near luxury stores of famous brands.
17. Brand’s clothes are even worn by Kate Middleton.
Kate Middleton and Prince Charles
18. At the end of 2013, the Zara brand switched to completely non -toxic production and signed the obligation proposed by Greenpeace on the complete termination of harmful substances by 2020.
19. ZARA stores are open in 88 countries of the world, 55 of them in the USA.
20. The Spanish Magnat Amancio Ortege also belongs to such brands as Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Oysho, Zara Home, Uterqüe, Stradivarius, Lefties and Bershka.