New York City — Zara has opened its largest U.S. store on Fifth Avenue in New York City, showcasing the retailer’s revamped architecture, interior design and sustainable features.
New York City — Zara, the Inditex Group’s fashion retailer, has opened a New York City store showcasing Zara’s revamped architecture and interior design scheme. Located at 666 Fifth Avenue in the Tishman Building, the store’s layout reflects an innovative approach to interior design.
The new Fifth Avenue Zara is the retailer’s largest outlet in the United States, encompassing more than 9,800 square feet spread over three floors. The shop opens onto Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street with five display windows and a facade spanning more than 75 feet. The store will employ 450 people.
The new store image is based on four principles: beauty, clarity, functionality and sustainability. The store’s design emphasizes simplicity as part of the retailer’s ongoing mission to facilitate direct contact with customers.
In each of the three floors, the store is organized around two long corridors or “catwalks” that lead to intimate boutique-like cubes on each side. Each space showcases a specific collection. The wood furniture is finished in neutral elegant colors and textures reminiscent of fabrics such as linen or silk.
Additionally, the shop includes all of the sustainability features of Inditex’s eco-efficient stores. The following are a few highlights of the Fifth Avenue Zara’s environmental sustainability features:
• Motion detectors in the storeroom dim the area’s lights by 80% when no one is present. Motion detectors for lighting are also installed in less-transited areas (restrooms and back-of-store hallways).
• Store lighting dims to 66% of normal during janitorial and merchandise loading and unloading shifts.
• The shop is equipped with a highly efficient HVAC unit with an Variable Refrigerant Volume system.
• Energy-intensive systems are turned on in a sequential pattern to prevent demand spikes.
• Thermostats automatically adjust for heating and air conditioning.
• Electronically-regulated air curtains at store entrances prevent the influx of colder or hotter air from outside.
• Speed-controlled mechanical escalators.
• Wood used in store fittings and furnishings come from sustainably, responsibly harvested forests.
The result of these measures is a store that consumes 30% less energy annually than the average for a conventional shop, uses 70% less water and prevents atmospheric emissions of more than 165 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
The Inditex Group has more than 5,500 stores in 80 countries, under the retail names of Zara, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterque. For more information, visit www.inditex.com.