French, Italian, British and American designers dominate the catwalk scene; but it’s the Spanish that are best at interpreting these trends and turning them into commercial fashion for retail. Let me introduce you to one of the most successful retail chains in the world – Zara. This Spanish chain store is part of the Inditex group – one of the largest fashion retail groups worldwide. Almost 86% of their staff are women with women occupying 54% of the executive, technical and managerial positions.

“Zara offers the latest trends in international fashion in an environment of thought-out design”.  You’ll find these stores in the main commercial areas of cities across Europe, America and Asia. Zara offers women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and accessories at affordable prices. Their clothing is not meant to last forever and some describe it as “throw-away fashion”, but who wants to pay the earth for a fashion fad? That said, I have classics in my closet from Zara that are at least 3 years old and going strong.

Their enormous success can be attributed to many factors. What stands out for the consumer is the exclusivity of their product. They never offer more then 10 items in the same style, which can drive you crazy if they don’t have your size, but will prevent you from looking like someone else when you walk down the street. There isn’t another retailer that offers the same level of trendy fashion with the elegance and sophistication that Zara does. Their designs and colour direction are always a cut above the rest, but without burning a hole in your wallet. If you are a regular size and passionate about fashion – you need to shop here. It’s one of my very favourite places to buy up a storm.

Zara stores are predominantly located in Europe, Asia and South America. There are Zara stores in many American cities, but for those of you in the Pacific Northwest – Vancouver, Canada is your best bet.