Zara Home launches strategic international expansion with Paris store opening

Inditex is driving the global expansion of its home decor and furnishings chain with the launch of three strategic locations in Europe. The first, in Paris, opened on Thursday, May 23, and includes, for the first time outside Spain, a dedicated space for ‘The Apartment’. Previously, this exclusive concept was only available on the fourth floor of Zara‘s flagship store on Compostela street in A Coruña.

The chosen location for this Parisian venture is the Rive Gauche, just steps away from LVMH’s iconic luxury department store, Le Bon Marché, and Zara’s store on rue de Sèvres. Inditex aims to attract the sophisticated clientele of the 7th arrondissement of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a neighborhood celebrated for its design galleries, premium boutiques, and décor stores like Roche Bobois and BoConcept.

Situated at 117 rue du Bac, the flagship store occupies the iconic premises formerly held by the British furniture and design firm The Conran Shop until its closure at the end of 2023. Owned by Le Bon Marché, the venue retains its heritage as a home decor space, now under Zara Home. However, this is a temporary venture. According to Inditex, this is a “pop-up flagship” that will operate for only one year, an unusual strategy for the group. This move should allow Zara Home to test the market, its offerings, and the store’s location. Rental details have not been disclosed.

With a distinct Parisian flair, the boutique spans 1600 square meters across a spacious ground floor, a basement area, and an upper mezzanine, all connected by elegant, classic stairs that provide visual continuity to the establishment. The flagship welcomes visitors through two grand entrances at the corner of rue du Bac and rue de Babylone, organizing its offerings into a seamless journey through different home spaces.

The main entrance features a section for cosmetic products, such as fragrances and candles, alongside the limited edition ‘Editions’ capsule collection. To celebrate the opening, the space will also feature a florist section for a few days, selling designer bouquets by Parisian specialist Nina Charles. Zara Home has also collaborated with Parisian coffee brand Dose to create a café space, adjacent to an area dedicated to books and stationery. The brand is also launching 12 commemorative items: tote bags, notebooks, and mugs featuring the store’s address, in collaboration with the Saint-Lazare studio, which also designed the store’s visual identity.

The central area of the store is dedicated to new and limited edition collections. This space is dominated by the lifestyle character of Zara Home’s latest sports capsule, available online, that includes items like towels and sweatshirts, and collaborations with specialist brands like Wilson for basketballs, Uniq for boxing gear, and Starvie for paddle rackets. Additionally, this area showcases Zara Home’s commitment to diversification with a comprehensive camping product line.

Meanwhile, the main floor features zones for furniture, kitchenware, and decor for the kitchen, bathroom, and living room, including dedicated spaces for candles and rugs, and introducing the brand’s first sofa. The basement focuses on bedroom and children’s offerings, including children’s clothing collections and a baby segment.

The innovative “apartment” on the upper mezzanine replicates the original concept from Zara Home’s hometown. In a 350-square-meter space illuminated by large windows, the brand offers a premium, intimate atmosphere to showcase and sell exclusive collections and select Zara Woman items. This minimalist concept area also features a limited collection with Belgian architect Vincent Van Duy and a collaboration with the French art gallery Patrick Seguin.

With this opening, Inditex now operates 273 stores in the French market. Specifically, Zara Home operates 15 stores in the region, eight of which are in the Parisian area. In the second half of the year, the brand plans to expand its boutique in the Beaugrenelle shopping center. As FashionNetwork.com anticipated, this week the company will also launch a new Pull&Bear store in Paris’ Passage du Havre. Recently, the group reopened its Zara Rivoli store in Paris and its Massimo Dutti store in Cannes.

New flagship stores in Milan and Antwerp

Zara Home’s ambitious plans extend beyond France. On May 30, the brand will open its new flagship store in Milan at 12 Corso Matteotti, under the ‘Gelateria Milano’ concept. Additionally, this month will see the inauguration of a new flagship in Antwerp, Belgium.

By the end of fiscal year 2023 (which closed on January 31), Zara Home had 410 stores worldwide, 321 company-owned and 89 franchises, 17 fewer than the previous year. Overall, Inditex operated 5,692 stores. Founded in 2003, the home decor and furnishings chain had a physical presence in 68 international markets, led by Spain (94 stores), Mexico (27), Portugal and mainland China (23 each), and Italy (20).

Last year, the company’s revenue, under the leadership of Marta Ortega, rose by 10.4% to 35.947 billion euros, while net profit surged by 30.3% to 5.381 billion euros. On June 5, the company will present its financial results for the first quarter of 2024.