Zara began as a clothing store in 1975 in A Coruña, Spain. It has since grown to over 2,000 stores worldwide through its unique business model of quick production and delivery of fashionable products based on customer demand. Zara links customer demand directly to manufacturing and distribution through the use of information technology across its facilities. This allows it to produce small batches of products and get them to stores within 2 weeks to meet constantly changing fashion trends. Zara's success is evidenced by its rapid international expansion and growth into new markets over the past decades.
1. Z A R A
The original business idea was very simple. Link customer demand
to manufacturing, and link manufacturing to distribution. That is
the idea we still live by.
— José María Castellano Ríos, Inditex CEO
2. 2007
Zara Home introduces Inditex’s first on-line store. Two new Spanish distribution hubs begin
operating in Meco (Madrid) and Onzonilla (León). Zara celebrates the launch in Florence (Italy) of
Zara shop number 1,000, while Bershka and Pull & Bear each pass the 500-store mark. The Group
opens establishments in four new markets: Croatia, Colombia, Guatemala and Oman.
2003
The first Zara Home outlets open, marking the launch of Inditex retailer No. 7. The Group opens
Zara’s second distribution hub, Plataforma Europa, in Zaragoza, Spain, to complement the
distribution centre in Arteixo (A Coruña, Spain). The Group celebrates its first store openings in
Slovenia, Slovakia, Russia and Malaysia.
2002
Zara breaks ground on its new distribution hub in Zaragoza, Spain. The Group opens its first outlets
in Finland, Switzerland, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Singapore.
The Group begins welcoming shoppers in the United States and France with stores in New York
(1989) and Paris (1990).
1985
Inditex is founded as the holding company of the group of businesses operating at the time.
1975
Zara traces its roots to this year’s opening of the first Zara store on a street in downtown A Coruña,
Spain.
1963-1974
Amancio Ortega Gaona, chairman and founder of Inditex, begins his career as a clothing
manufacturer.
Chronological development Of Z A R A
