Inside's Zara's new concept store in Cape Town

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The relaunch marks the debut of Zara's refreshed store concept in South Africa, featuring new digital innovations that integrate the physical store with online to create a seamless shopping experience.

The store spans over 2,700m² across two floors and features Woman, Man and Kids collections. It will also be the first store in South Africa to provide an area dedicated to Zara Woman’s new shoe boutique.

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Design philosophy

Zara said that the store concept, designed by the retailer's architecture team, encapsulates the four characteristics that define the architectural philosophy of Zara: simple, functional, sophisticated and refined.

The store features concentric spaces that are designed to act as a frame for the Zara collections, where the product and the customer play the leading role, Zara said in a statement.

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"Thanks to its studied commitment to organic shapes and a flowing series of smooth curves, the project honours the beauty of fabric and natural materials with a palette of brown and stone shades and matt finishes. This aesthetic continues throughout other store elements, such as screens and furniture which are notably curved," the retailer explained.

This architectural language translates into how the brand's collections are presented: bringing them to light in the recesses in the walls.

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The sleek white surface runs across the ceilings and walls and creates a backdrop to enhance the collections, which are showcased in a soft, warm and natural environment with pockets of greenery.

Integrated shopping experience

Zara explained that its integrated model of stores and online allows the brand to adapt to customers in real-time, offering them the possibility of interacting with fashion under their preferences.

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The integrated stock management system (Sint) provides more purchasing options including: visiting the store and buying online for home delivery, making changes or refunds at the store, and sending online orders from stores.

This technology integration is possible due to the complete implementation of the radio frequency identification (RFID) system.

Zara has eight stores in South Africa and has also been selling online in the country at zara.com/za since 2019.

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Sustainability journey

Designed with sustainability in mind and in line with the Inditex Group's environmental commitments, Zara V&A Waterfront incorporates innovations to reduce water and energy consumption when compared with a conventional store.

Beyond store design, the Inditex group's Join Life initiative brings together fashion and sustainability. All the products under Inditex’s Join Life label are made using sustainable materials and/or processes, or with technologies that save water or reduce carbon emissions.

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According to the group, in 2020, more than 35% of its garments carried the Join Life label and over 50% of garments will have this label by 2022.

Inditex’s goal is to use only more sustainable cotton and cellulosic fibres by 2023. By 2025, all polyester and linen will be 100% recycled or sustainable, the group said.

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The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront store will also include collection containers for customers to donate clothes they no longer wear to the retailer's charity partner Red Cross South Africa.

The V&A Waterfront store closed for refurbishment in June this year and reopened on 18 November.