Inditex sanguine on China's fashion mkt

Spanish fashion giant Inditex is betting on enhanced flagship store experiences and digital innovation to strengthen its presence in China as CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras underscored the country's importance to Zara's parent company's global strategy during a lecture at Fudan University in his latest visit to Shanghai, describing it as both a strategic growth market and a vital learning hub for the group.

"China is a relevant and strategic market for us for several reasons," he said during his presentation to students on Monday. "We have maintained an ongoing presence and consistent investment in this market. In 2025, we'll showcase a number of exciting projects — from new stores to new online experiences."

The executive highlighted China's role as a source of innovation for the company's global operations.

"China is one of the places in the world where we learn the most about improving our model and business," he said, adding that Chinese consumers, once seen as followers of global trends, "are now among the trend leaders".

Zara is enhancing its retail experience in the market with a series of new flagship stores. Its latest project is a super-sized flagship store on Shanghai's Huaihai Road, which will span five floors and feature Inditex's latest technology-driven retail concepts. These aim to deliver a next-generation shopping experience. The opening is scheduled for the first half of 2026. Another major outlet on Nanjing East Road in Shanghai is set to debut by the end of this year.

Since 2017, Inditex has been implementing a global "store optimization" strategy, which includes closing smaller outlets, renovating existing locations, and focusing on experience-oriented flagship stores in core markets such as China.

The company's strategy reflects efforts to align with evolving consumer behaviors in the market. Inditex currently operates more than 100 stores in China across its three main brands: Zara, Massimo Dutti and Zara Home.

To further localize its approach, Zara opened its Asia-Pacific flagship store in Nanjing's Xinjiekou area in March, which includes a cafe and showcases new product launches exclusive to China. Last September, the brand opened a limited-time concept store on Shanghai's Anfu Road, combining global co-branded collections with local cultural experiences. Meanwhile, Massimo Dutti has expanded its footprint with the opening of new stores in Xi'an, Shaanxi province and Tianjin this year.

Alongside online channels including Tmall, JD, official websites, and WeChat Mini Programs and applications, the group has also been deepening its digital engagement.

Since 2023, Zara has joined Douyin Livestreaming, adopting a fashion-show-style livestreaming format that has resonated strongly with Chinese consumers.

Inditex's CEO said the success of this model in China has inspired the company's new "Zara Streaming" initiative, now being rolled out in Europe and the United States.