"A truly inspiring story of rags to riches"
Born on March 03rd, 1936 to a railroad worker and housemaid, Ortega left school at a tender age of fourteen to work as a delivery boy for local shirt maker called GALA. Over a period of time working he learn't the ends an outs of business and later found success with his wife in 1972 when he founded ‘Confecciones Goa' which sold mostly quilted bathrobes sewn by local women organised in sewing cooperatives. It was then after Zara, pronounced "Tha-ra" launched. Amancio Ortega had one idea and that was to make clothes in large series inspired by the best designers. He revolutionizes the world of prêt à porter and Zara stores began to open globally and quickly spread which much success.
Ortega being a man shy to the spotlight manged to keep a life away from the media, despite being sent numerous mails from the most prestige publications permission was never granted. The same level of secrecy was maintained by all of his family members.Up until 1999 Ortega was never photographed even though he would eat at the company's cafeteria everyday with his employees. It was in 2000 he made appearance in front of cameras before his company when public in 2001which made headlines in Spanish financial press and he only gave three interviews which shows how much he guards his private life.
In 2011, Ortega announced his imminent retirement from Inditex, parent company of the Zara chain, stating that he would ask Inditex vice-president and CEO Pablo Isla to take his place at the helm of the textile empire.
Ortega managed to rank fourth on the Forbes list.
With so many words to describe this brand of clothing chic, classy, well-tailored, cheap and ethical would just be a few. Launched in A Coruna, Galicia in Spain in 1975, Zara is a retailer with clothing for men, women, and kids with over 1,400 stores in more than 70 countries. A company founded on just €30 euros is now worth an estimated €32 billion. Zara's success can is due to it's broad appeal of style, systems in place for staff to transmit customers preferences to design team, tailoring is of higher quality than other competing prices, expansion of stores globally, the amazing untold story of 75 year old founder Amancio Ortega who Forbes ranks as the fourth richest man in the world, a short yet powerful brand name pronounced "Tha-ra" and not "Zah-rah",spacious store design which makes shopping in a Zara store more delightful and a company who supports the Green and economic appeals.
