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In Pictures: the new Zara flagship in Battersea

Lauretta Roberts
13 October 2022

Zara has taken the wraps off its latest flagship – a two-storey, online-integrated space – housed in an arresting new building, which forms part of the ambitious regeneration of the Battersea Power Station complex, created by the celebrated architect Frank Gehry.

The tech-driven store, which at 4,500sqm is Zara's largest commercial space in the UK, offers womenswear, menswear, home and childrenswear in a new format, which marks the Spanish giant's proposed approach to larger stores globally.

Opening tomorrow, the new opening brings Zara's store count in the UK to 60.

Key innovations in the new space include:

  •  a fitting room reservation service
  • the collection of online orders in two hours
  • the ability to search online for items in the store and to check available stock
  • a Pay&Go service for customers to purchase garments by scanning them with their mobile phones
  • online shopping collection point with an automated storage area with a capacity for up to 900 orders
  • specific checkouts for returns
  • automatic on-line returns point
  • self-checkout area
  • customer cardboard recycling area.

Designed to sit sympathetically within Gehry's architecture the store opens to the exterior with an imposing glass and metal front that blends in with the urban plan of the complex. From the first floor of the store, the multiple angles of the glazed front offer customers different views of the outside.

Zara Battersea

The exterior view

The inside is predominantly white clean and neutral with hints of colour and warmth from the wooden furniture and the natural tones of the textiles.

New ‘boutique’ spaces for Zara's most recent launches in both the women’s and men’s sections have been created, such as Lingerie (previously only available online), the Athleticz sportswear collection, and Footwear and Accessories. These spaces have a distinctive design and furnishings and they are equipped with adjacent restocking areas for a personalised service.

The lingerie collection, available only on-line until now, appears in this store in an intimate space with exclusive furniture and fitting rooms. The area features the top garments of the line: pyjamas, underwear, dresses, bodysuits and other accessories.

Athleticz is Zara's collection of sportswear for every athlete. It is in a prominent spot on the ground floor and has a wide range of products that combine technical features with sustainable materials, including everything from footwear to shorts, underwear and backpacks.

Some 400sqm of the store is dedicated to Zara Home, which also has a digital collection point for online orders, where customers can request delivery of their order via an iPad and receive sales assistance.

The long awaited Battersea Power Station complex will open to the public tomorrow (14 October). The main Powerstation itself will feature an impressive line-up of fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands with big names such as Nike, Mango, Hugo Boss, Lacoste, Theory, Aesop, Space NK, Lululemon and Mulberry among the line-up. The new Zara store is located outside the main Powerstation on Electric Boulevard, a pedestrianised road which leads to the Grade II listed structure.

The development at Battersea has been one of the most ambitious urban regeneration schemes in the country. As well as 100 stores the site includes 254 residential apartments and numerous restaurants and cafés. It is served by its own London Underground station, Battersea Power Station within Zone 1 of the Northern Line, which is expected to draw in visitors from across the capital as well as locals.

 

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