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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Business
J.R. Duren

Fashion brand Zara quietly closes dozens of stores

Well-known Spanish fast-fashion brand Zara has closed 60 stores recently - (PA Archive)

Zara has quietly closed dozens of stores worldwide.

The Spanish brand shuttered 60 stores between October 2024 and this October, according to parent company Inditex’s latest 2025 results report. In an earnings call about Inditex’s third-quarter results, CEO Óscar García Maceiras didn’t address the Zara closures, but noted that the brand is actually doing well.

“We are happy with the positive performance of Zara and the rest of our concept,” Maceiras said.

Inditex did not specify the locations of the 60 stores or explain why it closed them. However, it did note that certain Zara locations closed to make way for Zara Man stores, the brand’s men’s store that sells clothes, shoes, and accessories. In particular, Macerias called out one such transformation in Osaka, Japan.

“Similar to other projects in different countries, the existing Zara store nearby [in Osaka] will become a standalone Zara Man store,” he said. “We continue to see many opportunities to improve our presence in the world's prime locations, as well as expanding to new cities and new territories.”

While Inditex didn’t provide a reason for the closures, they come amid a growing movement against fast-fashion retail because of its impact on the environment.

Consulting and research firm McKinsey noted that fast fashion generates considerable amounts of waste, with the equivalent of three out of every five garments ending up in a landfill or incinerated. That conflicts with sustainability concerns among younger consumers, the firm said.

“The true costs of fast fashion are coming into focus, especially for millennials and Gen Zers,” McKinsey said. “Young people are becoming more mindful of sustainability with respect to how they consume. They’re also keenly aware that the fashion industry is a major contributor to global warming.”

In any case, Inditex’s sales numbers are healthy to start the fourth quarter of its 2025-2026 fiscal year. The company noted in its Q3 earnings call that in-store and online sales from all brands, including Zara, Zara Man, and Zara Home, improved 10.6% from November 1 to December 1.

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