Spain has once again proven that it is the world leader when it comes to the commercial fashion scene for women. Mango is a Barcelona-based apparel chain that operates in 81 countries and 5 continents. Its young and enthusiastic employees’ have an average age of 30 and about 82% are female. It targets demanding modern, urban and cosmopolitan women.

“Mango is dedicated to the distinctive design, manufacture and marketing of clothing and accessories for women only”. Despite their Spanish heritage – Mango is not Zara. The merchandise at Mango is richer, less mainstream and more avant garde. It is also of superior quality and hence more pricey. Shopping at Mango feels like shopping in a boutique – not unlike BCBG stores in America. The good news is that it is completely affordable despite the swanky environment they create for their consumers.

Mango seems to have what it takes to compete with well established brands like Zara (sophisticated fast fashion) and H&M (funky cheap ‘n chic). It is another one of my absolutely favourite shopping destinations – especially good when looking for professional or dressy attire. Make Mango a place to peruse if you are after a runway look at a reality price.

Mango is rapidly expanding into the US market. It has a store in Santa Monica and plans to open stores in LA, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and Seattle by the end of the year.