When you start working for a company with a global presence, McDonald’s or Starbucks usually come to mind. These two fast food chains seem to be synonymous with an American embassy. You’ll find them in the most remote corners of the planet. The most globalized brand, with more presence in every nook and cranny of the world, is not an American company, but one that originated in Spain. It is Inditex, the fashion company famous for creating Zara.
Of course, McDonald’s still has more locations around the world; it is estimated that there are more McDonald’s hamburger restaurants than public libraries in the United States. However, Inditex is considered the most globalized brand on the planet due to its presence in 214 markets. Inditex’s success is based on a revolutionary business model that integrates fast fashion with digital expansion and online sales.
Stores vs. Markets
Yes, McDonald’s and Starbucks continue to lead in terms of number of establishments; both have approximately 40,000 locations in 100 and 88 countries, respectively. Meanwhile, the Inditex group (“Industria de Diseño Textil, S.A.,” which means Textile Design Industry in Spanish) has at most 7,000 physical stores.
The commercial supremacy of this fashion company lies in its e-commerce strategy. Through online sales, it is able to reach territories where it does not have physical stores—or even closed them. This ensures that it maintains market share without relying on the high costs of a physical store. Thanks to social media and its worldwide fame, Zara is synonymous with fast fashion that maintains a good reputation.
The keys to Inditex’s success
Believe it or not, Inditex created the Fast Fashion model. It reached a point in logistics where it was able to design a clothing season and have it in physical stores in just 15 days. Over time, other fashion companies copied its efficiency and standardization. Fashion demands a response to climate, culture, and trends.
Before social media became fashionable, a Zara store in Madrid and another Zara store in Paris would have completely different outfits. The success of Amancio Ortega’s (its founder) company is that it adapted perfectly to the demands of each market.
How is it possible to bring out new collections in such a short time? The answer is vertical integration; Inditex controls the entire process, from the initial design, through the creation of fabrics and garment manufacturing, to delivery to the store in a maximum of 20 days.
The origins of Inditex
As we have already mentioned, it was founded by Amancio Ortega, who was born in 1936 into a humble family of railway workers. At just 14 years of age, he began working as an errand boy in a shirt shop in northwestern Spain. He learned the business from the inside: how shirts are made, how to differentiate between fabrics, and how to calculate manufacturing costs.
Years later, in 1963, he used all his savings to start his first business, Confecciones GOA. What began as a sewing workshop for women’s robes and bathrobes ended up becoming a titan where all women can buy everything from the most basic T-shirt to limited edition dresses.
The central idea behind his business was to make modern, acceptable quality garments at extremely low prices that would appeal to the middle class who could not afford haute couture. Tired of being just a wholesale supplier, he decided to open his first Zara store in A Coruña, Galicia, in 1975. It was a revolutionary moment, as he was both a manufacturer and a retailer… He didn’t need intermediaries or to adjust prices to the smallest margins.
Inditex is known for its global leadership and multimillion-dollar sales; it is estimated to have had a turnover of €38 billion in 2025. Its commercial influence has led other fashion companies to create much shorter collection cycles than had historically existed. The next time you open a Zara app, remember that behind that clothing display window is a retail giant and a magnate who started out as an errand boy in a small store in northwestern Spain.