Zara,the Inditex Group's fashion retailer,opens a flagship store featuring its revamped image at 460-490 Oxford Street in London's city centre.The fourth Zara location on the British capital's busiest shopping street has pride of place in the newly opened Park House building.
What's more,the new Oxford Street store is Inditex's 6000th outlet.Zara chose to outfit this unique establishment in one of the world's most coveted shopping areas with its new brand image,which it first unveiled in New York City in March.
Zara Park House spans over a surface of 2,500 square metres spread over three floors,in which the company displays its fashion collections for women and men.Each of the three floors features a functional layout based on two long corridors or"catwalks".
These runways lead visitors to individual spaces or"cubes"on either side,in which Zara displays its different collections individually.The wood used in the store's furniture and fittings is finished in textures reminiscent of fabrics such as linen and silk in neutral,elegant colours.
The revamped store image is based on four guiding principles:beauty,clarity,functionality and sustainability.Simplicity is the byword throughout the store as part of Zara's mission to bring customers into direct contact with fashion.
In accordance with the Inditex Group's environmental commitments outlined in its Sustainable Inditex 2011-2015 Plan,the new store is equipped with all of the sustainability elements mandated by Inditex's eco-efficient store model.
Additionally,it is LEED certified,a sustainable architecture endorsement regarded as the most demanding of its kind in the world.Some of the Group's most renowned landmark stores,including Zara locations on Via del Corso(Rome),Korai(Athens),Portal de l'Ángel(Barcelona)and a Pull&Bear outlet on Madrid's Gran Vía are also LEED certified.
Highlights of the sustainability measures implemented at the Park House Zara include automated heating and cooling,intelligent lighting systems which dim the lights when the store is closed,the use of FSC-certified wood products and oxo-biodegradable plastic bags.
The United Kingdom is one of the Inditex Group's most important markets.The company first ventured into the UK in 1998,when Zara opened its first outlet on London's Regent Street.Zara currently has locations at key spots on the London shopping map,including Oxford Street,King's Road and Brompton Road,among others,in addition to its stores in the country's major cities.
Inditex has 94 establishments in the UK under its Zara,Pull&Bear,Massimo Dutti,Bershka and Zara Home brands,sited in prime shopping locations in more than 40 cities.
