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The Evolution of Zara Logo Design

Zara, one of the leading and most popular global brands, caters to both men and women across the globe. Both the brand and its logo have a long history that attracts even those who have little to do with fashion. Owned by the INDITEX Group, Zara has over 1,400 stores in more than 70 countries worldwide. Jointly founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera, the brand gained worldwide recognition and success over the years with its brand value at $14.7B.

It has also ranked in the World’s Most Valuable Brands 2020 on Forbes list. The fashion brand’s logo perfectly matches the understated yet matured style of its products. This blog is all about Zara’s history, success story, and of course the evolution story of its iconic logo.

History and Founders

The story began when Ortega launched a dress making factory under the name of Inditex in 1963. Its success led him to the retail business, for which he had a big vision. Ten years after launching a small store named as Zorba in La Coruna, Spain (with Rosalía Mera), he then renamed the brand as Zara with no specific intention. It had a meager budget of 30 Euros. Gradually, Zara expanded its business from the small town in Spain to the remaining parts of the country and then to Portugal. By 1989, ZARA made it to the United States of America.

Design Elements of Zara Logo

The Zara logotype is a perfect example of a simple yet booming brand identity. The current wordmark features a custom typeface with tall narrowed letters entwined on their bottom parts, and the leg of the letter “R” curled and a little elongated. The black color of the logo stands for the style, elegance, and excellence of Zara’s high-end products. The wordmark is so famous that despite being one of the leading fashion houses in the world, Zara doesn’t publicize, mostly depending on sale promotions and its highly unique corporate identity. Simultaneously, the Zara logo has also been criticized for being overly simple, generic and mundane.

Controversy Regarding the New Zara Logo

The new logo font looks similar to the signature typography of Fabien Baron (Baron & Baron founder), who is also Zara’s artistic director. Baron is also the creative director of various luxury brands such as Dior, Burberry and Maison Margiela – possibly indicating Zara’s objective to reestablish itself amongst other high-end fashion houses with rebranding. As a brand founded back in the mid-1970s, Zara seems to secure its place among the older, more successful brands of the world, rather than among the new generation of regular retail brands.