Polka dot dress helps propel Zara’s owner Inditex toward six-month sales of £11.5bn
THE owner of Zara has said sales surged during the first half of the year as the high street fashion brand was bolstered by warm weather and the success of a highly popular polka dot dress.
Inditex, the world’s largest clothes retailer, said sales jumped 7% to €12.8bn (£11.5bn) in the six months to July as it shrugged off the tough retail market conditions.
The retailer operates three stores in Belfast under its Zara, Stradivarius and Pull & Bear brands.
The Spanish group said likefor-like sales during the period increased by 5%, while earnings before interest and tax rose by 8% to €3.4bn (£3.04bn).
The company, which had 7,420 stores across the world at the end of July, said it benefited from the roll-out of Zara online to new locations such as Brazil and the UAE.
The group has shut smaller stores to focus on large spaces in prime shopping areas and rapidly growing online sales.
Analysts highlighted that the success of Zara’s polka dot dress, which was so popular that it had its own Instagram account, reflected that the brand’s product ranges were continuing to be welcomed by UK customers. The £39.99 dress gained cult status as a must-have item during the summer, selling out in numerous UK stores.
Inditex added that strong sales have continued into the second half of the year, with sales across both stores and online rising 8% in the past six weeks.
Pablo Isla, executive chairman of Inditex, underlined the “strong first half performance reflected in these figures, with likefor-like growth across all brands and geographies”.