Zara has opened its most ambitious flagship to date in Barcelona, an immersive, museum-inspired space crafted by architect Vincent Van Duysen. More than a store, it represents a bold repositioning strategy for the brand, blending residential warmth with elevated design to redefine the future of retail.
Located at 584 Avenida Diagonal in Barcelona’s prestigious upper district, the store reads less like a conventional retail space and more like a carefully curated gallery, where the focus is on the experience rather than commerce. Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen, who began collaborating with Inditex in 2022 through Zara Home collections, designed his first fully conceived architectural project for the brand.
Architectural ambition: A new retail language
The 107,000-square-foot space unfolds across two floors, deliberately avoiding the traditional retail rush that greets customers at most store entrances. Van Duysen designed a foyer that allows visitors to pause before encountering merchandise. “It’s a retail space shaped by architectural thought, emotional sensibility, and aesthetic restraint,” the architect explained, describing his vision of turning “the act of shopping into a memorable experience.“
The design vocabulary whispers rather than shouts. Natural wood, brushed metal, soft stone, and matte finishes create a neutral palette that does not compete with the clothing. Minimalist metal rails display garments, and transparent glass vitrines showcase key pieces with a museum-like restraint. The central lounge mimics a residential living room, complete with a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that frames a substantial, freestanding sofa.
Strategic positioning at a crucial moment for Zara
Roberto Martín, the director of Zara in Spain, made a rare public appearance to underscore Barcelona’s significance. He described the city as “very important for Zara” and highlighted its relevance for sales performance and corporate operations. This statement carries weight, as Barcelona is home to the headquarters of five Inditex brands: Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Stradivarius, Bershka, and Zara.
This flagship store marks the first time that Barcelona will see Zara’s men’s and women’s collections presented alongside luxury home furnishings in a single location. This format has only previously appeared in the brand’s “Apartment” concept stores in Madrid, La Coruña, and Paris. However, this Barcelona iteration follows no existing template. The store stands alone, unreplicable and refusing to conform to any established Zara retail model.
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A residential sensibility at the heart of the design
Van Duysen pursued what he calls the “residential sense” throughout the space. He aimed for visitors to “discover the different environments” through rooms that resemble those in a home. This approach might encourage more frequent visits, allowing customers to explore the constantly rotating inventory.
The fitting rooms exemplify this domestic philosophy. Designed as “an expansive walk-in wardrobe” with soft lighting and natural materials, these spaces are intended to evoke calm rather than the typically frantic energy of retail dressing rooms. Technology is integrated discreetly: screens display available sizes before customers enter, and sliding wooden doors trigger automatic lighting. Upon exiting, the layout naturally guides shoppers toward the payment areas.
Van Duysen described the new flagship store as “a destination designed for presence, a place where exploration becomes discovery and each visit reveals something previously unnoticed, such as an unexpected texture or a hidden vignette.“
Business context: Why this flagship matters now
The opening comes at a challenging time for Inditex. The parent company reported sales growth of just 1.6% in the first half of 2025, with net income increasing a mere 0.8%. Zara’s performance lagged further behind, with sales reaching €13.15 billion, a mere 0.89% year-over-year growth, the weakest performance across the entire Inditex portfolio.
These figures reflect the lowest quarterly growth since the pandemic, suggesting that elevated retail experiences serve aesthetic and commercial purposes. The Barcelona flagship store, which was attended on opening day by Inditex president Marta Ortega and her husband, Carlos Torretta, represents a tangible expression of the repositioning strategy that Zara has championed under Ortega’s leadership.
Design challenges behind the Barcelona concept
When asked about the challenges of designing the space, Van Duysen acknowledged the inherent tension. “The biggest challenge and reward coincide. It is difficult to develop a new shopping concept and experience for such a well-established brand. At the same time, I think that we have succeeded in creating a new shopping experience with Zara Diagonal, and that is perhaps our biggest reward.“
The architect has completed four collections for Zara Home, and customers can purchase the furniture he designed specifically for the Barcelona store. Van Duysen cited Zara’s global reach and its efforts to “reposition and elevate” itself in the fashion and furniture markets as motivating factors for the continued partnership. “We also feel the journey is not over. There are still things to be said and put out there,” he noted.
A broader context for Zara’s repositioning efforts
The Barcelona opening is part of a larger pattern of experimentation. Earlier this year, Zara refurbished its original store on Calle Juan Flórez in La Coruña to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The design incorporated the city’s distinctive glassed-in balconies. In late 2024, Zara launched Zacaffè at its Madrid menswear location, collaborating with Ramdane Touhami to design a café concept that pays homage to Neomudéjar architecture.
This Barcelona flagship establishes the Catalan capital as a key location for showcasing Zara’s luxury aspirations. Located along the premium shopping corridor, the store is surrounded by Mango, Mango Home, Bimba y Lola, Massimo Dutti, and Oysho. It now serves as Inditex’s eleventh Barcelona location. Its location among established brands suggests that democratized fashion need not compromise design.