Editors' Top Reads: News from TALA, ZARA, The Met Gala and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
Naomi Campbell, Twiggy, Cindy Crawford and more star in ZARA's 50th birthday video
This is why ZARA is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to producing fashion at scale. Who else in the mass fashion space could attract 50 of the best supers there have ever been and one of fashion's most pre-eminent image makers of modern times (Steven Meisel) to create a campaign like this? Frankly, if you told me this campaign was from YSL, I would have believed it (while thinking they had really blown the budget).
And that basically sums ZARA up. It has brought high fashion imagery, cutting edge trends and elevated store environments to the masses, and for 50 years no one has come close to doing it as well as ZARA has.
This campaign really cheered me up at a time when fashion is in the doldrums (not that ZARA itself is ever in the doldrums) and reminded why I fell in love with fashion in the first place. It also reminded me of the first time I wandered into its first UK store on Regent Street in 1998. I nearly lost my mind and I certainly spent a lot of money, I can distinctly remember the first three pieces I bought (a grey dress that looked pretty much exactly like a Paul & Joe one I couldn't afford, an embroidered Fendi Baguette-style bag and an olive green faux leather coat). I was chased down the street by a woman who wanted to know where I got that bag and when I wore the dress to work, everyone asked about it. I sent them all to Regent Street. And that's how the brand was built, on great product and word of mouth.
Back in the day, ZARA didn't need supermodels and glossy campaigns to promote itself and it hasn't needed that in the intervening years either. But I am glad they treated themselves, and us, to this campaign to mark this very special milestone.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
TALA confirms opening date for first physical store
TALA, the activewear brand founded by influencer and entrepreneur Grace Beverley, is set to open its debut store later this month - marking a major milestone in the brand’s growth journey. For the first time ever, customers will be able to explore and shop the entire TALA collection in one dedicated space.
Landing on London’s Carnaby Street—just moments from fellow activewear giants like Lululemon and Gymshark on nearby Regent Street - TALA’s new store promises to be a vibrant new addition to the city’s flourishing sportswear scene. But this isn’t just about retail; the UK-based brand aims to create a space that feels more like a "clubhouse" than a conventional shop - a welcoming hub designed to bring its community together. The store will also host in-person events for its community.
On the hunt for a new sportswear set, I'll be holding off on shopping until this new store opens. I’m excited to see everything it has to offer - and I’m sure many other fans of the brand are too. Want to know when it opens? Read more here.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
Autry’s rebirth continues with opening of first UK store
Sneaker brand Autry, which was founded by Jim Autry in Texas in the US in 1982, rising to prominence with its ‘Medalist’ tennis shoe opened its first-ever UK store this week. Located at 61-63 Beak Street in London’s Soho, it’s going to be interesting to see the uptake from UK customers, and tourists alike.
Although Autry was apparently one of the leading sportswear players in North America in the early 80s to early 90s, primarily focused on designing shoes for tennis, running and aerobics, I don’t recall the brand being here. Of course, I could be wrong, but my knowledge of trainers and trainer brands is pretty strong.
In fact, it was possibly only last year that Autry first came to my attention when I spotted them online through Stuarts London. The suede and leather ‘Reelwind’ running shoe model has a real 80s look and feel, especially in the blue with yellow colourway (think original Nike Internationalist so popular with football casuals back in the day who had moved on from tennis to running shoes). Anyway, they looked great and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen them before.
It could be because the new Italian owners of Autry, Style Capital, an Italian private equity fund founded by Roberta Benaglia who acquired the brand in March 2024, have worked some magic on reworking old styles - following Italian entrepreneurs Marco Doro, Alberto Raengo and Gino Zarrelli originally reviving the brand in 2019 after it had laid dormant for many years.
At £165 a pop they don’t come cheap, but last week even Vogue.com had Autry down as "the buzzy sneaker brand". An interesting one to watch, I’d say.
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.
The Met Gala 2025 looks you should know about
Fashion never sleeps, and neither do I when the first Monday in May rolls around. This Monday, celebrities gathered on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Met Gala, which raises money for the Costume Institute. Though I make a case for the Met Gala being the biggest night in the fashion calendar, we'll let you be the decider after reviewing the red carpet A-listers and their unforgettable looks.
This year’s theme, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, casts an eye back more than 300 years of Black fashion, the concept of black dandyism and its lasting impact on contemporary style.
Each year, Vogue editor Anna Wintour handpicks a group of celebrities to serve as co-chairs and help launch the museum’s exhibition. This year, Wintour chose seven-time Formula One world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton, singer and producer Pharrell Williams, and Rocky and Oscar-nominated performer Colman Domingo.
While those including Lauryn Hill and Madonna leaned into classic 'superfine' tailoring, others pushed boundaries with dramatic silhouettes, such as Demi Moore’s interpretation of a men’s tie. To learn more about the evening's standout styles, TheIndustry.fashion created a guide on the must-know looks of the Met Gala 2025.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
