Spanish fast fashion and beauty retailer Zara is celebrating a landmark move for the brand with the opening of its largest UK concept store.
The 37,000sqft destination opened yesterday at the UK’s Bluewater shopping centre near London, and acts as a model for Zara’s digital and in-store integration strategy.
To merge its omnichannel operations, Zara has fitted in-store self-service checkouts and dedicated refund tills to offer a seamless experience for shoppers.
The cosmetics maker has also unified the store’s design with its global flagships in Barcelona, Spain, and Dubai, UAE.
Meanwhile, Rob Hardie, Zara’s Portfolio Director at Landsec,the co-owner of Bluewater, said the opening was proof of Bluewater’s appeal to brands.
“It is a testament to the strength and appeal of Bluewater to brands and consumers alike that Zara has chosen it as the debut location in the UK for its new global flagship concept.
“The store provides Bluewater guests with a genuine omnichannel experience that sets a precedent for the future of retail.”
The fashion brand entered the cosmetics market in 2018 with a selection of products for the festive shopping period, joining competitors Topshop, ASOS and H&M with its own-brand line of colour cosmetics.
Zara’s beauty portfolio also includes fragrances and candles.
This year the brand has also moved into the beauty advent calendar space with a 25-strong line-up of products from its Jo Malone fragrance collection.
Inside Zara's Bluewater store
