Is Zara Over This Popular Way of Dressing?

In recent seasons, when you thought of Zara, images of clean, minimal looks probably came to mind. There was nary a ruffle, embellishment, or fringe detail in sight, and the colour palette was muted. But thanks to the impact Gucci across the entire industry, that's all changed. Since Creative Director Alessandro Michele took the helm in 2015, Gucci has emerged as the most influential brand, and as a result, a large portion of the fashion design world has adopted his maximalist aesthetic. Maximalism is defined by bold, layered looks, embellishment, colour, pattern and a mix of shapes and textures—of course, that's the complete opposite to the minimal subtlety that was the sartorial norm three years ago.
Given Zara's acute understanding of shifts in trends, no further explanation is needed to understand why the retailer has ditched the pared-back looks in favour of all-but-the-kitchen-sink fashion, in the case of both its massive inventory and how it's styled. Frills, prints, colour and layering abound, and given the loyal fan base, we're quite sure that Zara lovers around the world have begun to ditch their minimal looks, at least for now. (That said, if minimalist fashion best reflect your style, then by all means, stick to what makes you feel comfortable and confident.)
Keep scrolling to shop Zara pieces that display their shift to maximalism, and see how this way of dressing plays out in real life at the end.
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See Maximalism in the Street Style World
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Next up, the seven best-selling items in the UK since 2017 began.
Opening Images: Zara
Allyson is a senior editor for Who What Wear. She joined the company in 2014 as co-founder Katherine Power's executive assistant and over the years has written hundreds of stories for Who What Wear. Prior to her career in fashion, Allyson worked in the entertainment industry at companies such as Sony Pictures Television. Allyson is now based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She holds a BFA in theater arts. Her path to fashion may not have been linear, but based on the number of fashion magazines she collected as a child and young adult, it was meant to be.
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