Fashion is a fluid concept. To understand the concepts of management in fashion retail, it is vital to understand the multifaceted nature of business. For retailers, there is more to the process than sales and high fashion. Those who seek a good example of the benefits of an efficient supply chain can find an excellent example in the Zara Corporation. The concept of fast fashion has been made possible because of technology and an understanding of the supply chain. For the Zara Corporation, it is vital to business and integral to the competitive edge that Zara has over its competitors.
The Zara Corporation’s success is based on its supply chain. Fast fashion can exist only with a tightly controlled manufacturing and distribution arm. Zara achieves this through keeping its design, manufacturing, and distribution wings in house, and relying on them to create clothing that is tailored to appeal to men, women, and children around the world. This fashion is based on modern styles, but is meant to be distributed through Zara’s supply chain. This structure eliminates middle men and allows the Zara Corporation to keep a tight hold on its supply chain in order to eliminate waste and streamline the process that leads them from design to manufacturing to retail sales (Zara 2001).
Background on The Zara Corporation
The Zara Corporation is subsidiary of Inditex, which is based out of Spain and is the world’s largest fashion group. The Zara shop was actually the beginning of Inditex, with the rest of the group growing from the success of Zara. The Zara Company is a clothing provider for men, women, and children based out of Corunna, Spain. The first store was founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega, who originally working as a retail employee. Zara’s unique take on manufacturing and supply took shape in the 1980’s, and has since led to success in the industry. Since its beginnings, the Zara Corporation has grown to a world wide