Fifty and Thriving: Inside Zara’s Anniversary Bash With Rosalía, Naomi Campbell, and More

Rosalia, Marta Ortega PérezPhoto: Saskia Lawaks

Zara gathered its favorite friends and collaborators on Avenue George V in Paris to fête its 50th anniversary with a star-studded party and a special 50-piece collection. Guests-turned-designers—including Rosalía, Anna Sui, Sarah Andelman, and Marisa Berenson—wove through a two-floor, exhibition-style space, champagne in hand, while Michel Gaubert’s playlist set the tone.

Between a Pierpaolo Piccioli poetically pink surfboard ($3,499) and a Steven Meisel pet carrier ($1,399), these weren’t your usual Zara finds. Crowds clustered around Kasing Lung’s LABUBU ($529), eager to secure one on the spot. Rumor had it pre-orders were open—officially, every item goes live on Oct. 6. Pieces like the Annie Leibovitz photo-print T-shirt ($69.90) were presented like fine art, while the Rosalía Conversation Island ($3,499) drew a steady stream of admirers. Alexandre de Betak’s surreal pyramid lamp even warranted a discreet “do not touch.”

Sui, in from New York for the occasion, recreated a vintage full-look schoolgirl dress—chain belt, socks, and garter—priced at $269 and lifted directly from her fall 1995 runway. Inspired by her new book, The Nineties x Anna Sui, she worked with the original spandex and accessories—rosette, chain belt, and garter belt—and even handed over the vintage pattern she used the first time around. “I just think that it’s so exciting that it’s so global, this gathering—for everybody to have this opportunity and be showcased like this and in a different realm from what they’re used to, inviting photographers and art directors to do a product is fantastic,” she told Vogue.

If the venue felt like a loving nod to the now-nostalgic Colette, that was by design. The ground floor—minimal, white, and merchandised with candles laid out on tables—channelled the cult concept shop. Colette founder Sarah Andelman not only designed the space but also dreamed up a hanging bookshelf for her limited-edition product. She’s mid–fashion week whirlwind—her Colette pop-up opened in tandem with Virgil Abloh: The Codes at the Grand Palais. “I had the idea of the book hanger,” Andelman said with a laugh. “I don’t know how it came in the middle of the night, but I think it’s something you could travel with. It’s your favorite book, now in the middle of your two favorite dresses.”

The night wrapped with passed bites and clinking flutes—and a give-back. Proceeds from the collection benefit Women’s Earth Alliance, matched by Zara, with the brand also donating €20,000 to 50 charities chosen by the collaborators.