When you're invited to get an inside look at Zara's headquarters to see the brand's latest Campaign Collection, you say yes. (Or, as Billie Eilish would say, "duh!") Walking through the brand's offices and factories in A Coruña, Spain, was pretty much awe-inspiring. It was so cool to see the entire process of how a single look gets designed, cut, created, and shipped to one of the thousands of Zara stores around the globe. It put most companies' HQs to shame (sorry, Instagram!). Zara has over 6,000 employees that rotate in shifts to make sure everything moves seamlessly. The distribution centers have multiple automated systems and machines that know exactly where to place an item when it's ready, making sure it goes to the correct store. It reminded me of Cher's closet in Clueless, but on steroids. I totally geeked out when I saw a box of a fresh new batch of Zara goods being shipped off to Willowbrook Mall in New Jersey, the location of the first Zara store I ever visited growing up.
Another thing I was excited to hear? That the company is planning to become more sustainable by 2025. Inditex, Zara's parent company, is planning for 100 percent of the cotton, linen, and polyester used by all eight of its brands to be organic, sustainable, or recycled. They expect to fully eliminate the use of plastic bags by 2020 and all single-use plastics by 2023.
When it comes to snagging the newest pieces, we all know the drill. Zara drops new products every Tuesday and Thursday, which is why the stores always seem to be filled with the latest trends. While chatting with the Zara design team, I learned how the Campaign Collection is different from the women's ready-to-wear line, and why it's worth the wait. The Campaign Collection was originally part of the women's line until it separated a few years ago. It follows the traditional fashion buying calendar and drops twice a year, once for Spring/Summer and again for Fall/Winter.
"Studio is a bit separate from the woman's collection - we don't have to reply to customer demand. Rather the opposite, customers either fall in love with the collection . . . or they don't," said a Zara design team member. "This season, the campaign was inspired by the Parisian sexy woman. Our muses were inspired by different French actresses in the '70s and early '80s." The collection usually consists of 20 to 30 pieces and comes at a higher price point since it's created with more high-end fabrics. Even with a higher price point, it is still relatively affordable compared to other contemporary collections.
When asked which pieces from the Campaign Collection will sell out the quickest, the design team called out a double-layer trench coat (my personal fave) and a contrasting lace slip dress that's perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Read on to see the gorgeous campaign, shot by Steven Meisel, and shop the pieces.