Zara is undoubtedly the flagship store of the Inditex empire, created by Amancio Ortega . A firm present throughout the world that in its beginnings had another name surprisingly taken from a popular movie, so we are going to explain why Zara is called that and what is the origin of the name of the famous Amancio Ortega store.
Why is Zara called like that? Discover the origin of the name of the famous Amancio Ortega store
It was in 1975 when the first Zara boutique opened in La Coruña (Spain) but before the establishment was to open, its founder Amancio Ortega had in mind to open his fashion store under the name Zorba.
Apparently the choice of this name is due to the 1964 film, Zorba the Greek starring Anthony Quinn and which was Amancio Ortega’s favorite, but legend has it that there already existed a bar in the same area (it is also said that It was a shoe store) that had that name, so Ortega had no choice but to find another name. Thus, combining and “playing” with the letters of Zorba, he ended up creating the name of Zara.
What is Zorba the Greek about?
Michael Cacoyannis’s film was a box office success when it was released in the mid-1960s. In it Anthony Quinn plays Zorba, a good-natured Greek guide who befriends Basil, an English writer (played by Alan Bates ) who travels to Greece in order to collect his paternal inheritance. While Basil is quiet and reserved at first, Zorba is loud and quirky. However, this opposition will lead to a beautiful friendship.
The film also became very popular since it featured Quinn dancing the Sirtaki, a traditional dance from Greece.
The expansion of the Zara name in the world
Zorba’s name may not ultimately be the one that defined the first of the Inditex empire stores created by Amancio Ortega, but his “other” name, Zara , has become one of the most popular and pronounced in the world of fashion.
In fact, Zara has been present throughout the world since in 1988 the brand began to internationalize, establishing its stores in other countries such as Portugal, the United States, France and some countries in Asia. Currently, the clothing chain is established in 90 countries with more than 2000 stores.
