I was running errands after work yesterday and I thought I’d pop by the newly renovated Zara in Metrotown Mall. With a lot buzz and hype it’s making, I thought it was worth checking it out.

When you first walk in, the most visible change you will notice are the walls and fixtures. From white, they are all now changed into black. The whole layout of the store in terms of space is a lot bigger. The divisions between collections and store sections were minimized, allowing a wider space for shoppers to move around. Merchandising standards are kept, with very little changes (and that includes a brand new hanger set). Products are now also presented in clean and minimalist manner, unlike having to dig through piles of repetitive items in the past).

Far from the busy and chaotic re-opening scene inside, the window display remained neat and calm. The products look elegant and more expensive than they really are. One thing I also noticed is the manikins with heads (which is inconsistent with the other locations that still uses a decapitated manikin).

Overall, I love it. The new concept store is clean, spacious, and functional.

With Forever21 opening it’s first location downtown Vancouver, let’s hope Zara Robson will also get the make-over that it needs.