This Thursday, Zara reopened its store on Avenida Diagonal in Barcelona, converted into a what you call a “boutique author’s“. The premises of almost 1,000 square meters have been designed by Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen, who has transformed the space into a succession of rooms that emulate a luxury home. Sofas, display cabinets, wooden and metal shelves, warm lighting and matte finishes make up a museum-like atmosphere where the garments are displayed as works of art.
Van Duysen, head of stores for Ferragamo and Calvin Klein Jeans, had already designed four Zara Home collections. This is their first full store project for the group.
Why is it important. Inditex implicitly admits that its physical store strategy can no longer be sustained the same as before, despite the growth of the online channel. The new boutique in Barcelona represents a change: differentiating not by volume, but by experience. The price of the garments is the same as in any other Zara, but the packaging seeks to rival the luxury brands that dominate that same avenue.
- This is the second store that Zara has signed with a renowned architect after the reopening of its Serrano location in Madriddesigned by Elsa Urquijo.
- The company also confirms that Barcelona is a special place for it: the city is home to the headquarters of five of the group’s brands, including Zara itself.
Yes, but. Inditex does not plan to replicate this model throughout its network. Roberto Martín, director of Zara in Spain, made it clear that the concept will be reserved for specific locations, always adapted to the city. The bet is risky: Zara has invested more than usual in a store that sells exactly the same as the rest, and at the same price.
Between the lines. The project reveals Marta Ortega’s strategy since she became president of Inditex: to distance Zara from the stigma of fast fashion and bring it closer to the territory of fast couture. Van Duysen’s choice is not accidental. Signing a store with an architect of his level is exactly what Chanel, Dior or Louis Vuitton do with Peter Marino. Zara is adopting luxury codes without raising prices.
Image: Zara.
Image: Zara.
Image: Zara.
The context. Zara closed the first six months of 2025 with the lowest quarterly growth since the pandemic: its sales rose just 0.89%, the lowest figure in all of Inditex. The brand needs to demonstrate that it can sustain its leadership beyond volume and frenetic product rotation.
Barcelona is not the only laboratory. Inditex is expanding its flagship from Plaza Catalunya to turn it into one of the chain’s largest stores in the world, with more than 6,500 square meters.
Go deeper. The interior is divided into a dozen rooms, each with its own style, with a maximum of three or four items per reference. The furniture belongs to the collection Zara Home+ by Vincent Van Duysen and it is for sale. On the lower floor there are 16 fitting rooms that from the outside look like closets but inside are cabins with triple mirrors and smart lighting.
The alarm signal. If Zara fails to build a sustainable competitive advantage with these boutiquesyou will have wasted resources on an aesthetic experiment that does not move the business.
- Brands like H&M or Primark compete on price.
- Luxury brands, in exclusivity and craftsmanship.
- Zara tries to stay in the middle: affordable prices with premium aspirations.
Are boutiques of author are his most visible commitment to demonstrate that this balance is possible. The market will tell if it is.
Featured image | Zara
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