Via del Corso store reopens after refurbishment.
Zara will reopen its flagship store at Palazzo Bocconi in central Rome on Friday, following nearly five months of refurbishment works.
The renovated space on Via del Corso is spread across five floors of the neo-Renaissance building and houses the Zara Womenswear and Childrenswear collections.
The Spanish brand has occupied the palazzo since 2010, when it replaced the Rinascente department store.
Designed by Giulio De Angelis in 1887, the large amount of glass and steel incorporated in the building’s construction was seen as being ahead of its time.
Redesign
The redesign was carried out by Zara’s in-house architecture studio and aims to deliver an immersive retail experience.
The interior draws on neutral tones and preserves original features of the building including columns, decorative mouldings, ceilings and wooden elements.
Classical architectural details are combined with design furniture, while the upper floors grow progressively lighter, culminating in the fifth floor, which houses 50 fitting rooms.
Digital retail
A key focus of the refit is the integration of digital and physical retail. Across the various floors, customers can find terminals with screens and drop-off points for returns, complete online purchases in store, collect items ordered via the website within two hours, and check product availability in real time through the Zara app. A staff of 300 employees is on hand to assist.
Among the highlights is a dedicated shoes and bags area on the second floor, as well as an exclusive “Edited” personalisation service allowing customers to have selected bags monogrammed with text or initials. The store also carries a special capsule collection – for women and children – bearing the label “Roma Palazzo Bocconi”.
Zara Man
Palazzo Bocconi completes the recent opening of the adjacent Zara Man store at Palazzo Verospi, a former bank premises directly opposite. The two spaces together represent Zara’s presence at one of Rome’s most symbolically significant retail addresses.
Inditex, Zara’s parent group, currently operates 85 Zara stores in Italy across 54 cities and employs more than 10,800 people in the country across its eight brands.
Photo credit: YASEMIN OZDEMIR / Shutterstock.com
