Zara

The dress I bought from Zara Doncaster was a sale item. However, after one wash the fabric shrink! I can still wear it but it look fitted rather than roomy. Urghhh… Should have read the label.

I do love stopping in at a Zara store, but unfortunately the Melbourne city store seems a little disorganised and messy… That’s a real shame as there is so much competition in the CBD…
I’ll keep stopping in, just in case I find that must have item…

Non-​existent customer service and overpriced. The quality of the garments is poor. Zara is definitely over hyped. I do enjoy their mannequins and window displays though.

Yeaaaaahhhhh I’m not a huge fan of Zara. I find here that there’s not enough to choose from and what there is to choose from is usually overpriced. The sizing seems a little out too. Every time I’ve tried on pants here they’re too big (in comparisson to other places). Accessories are minimal and the staff seem to hang out in packs at the changerooms.
I’d say Zara is ok if you’re looking to buy a couple of nice staple items for work at the office but not much beyond that.

Crazy sale. Crazy busy. Underwhelmed by the ridiculous queues that are there and fairly bland clothes. If you do spot something you like, grab it quick, it won’t be there next time.

Let’s get this out of the way. I am really not a fan.
After hearing Zara was opening here in Melbourne, I watched as the endless streams of people made their way into Zara to buy the whole store and steered clear away. Now several months later, the hype had died down, and the pace is back to normal departmental shopping.
I walked in for a quick look today. Boy was I disappointed. First off, the service is absolutely shocking. I was not greeted by a single staff member. I don’t expect a personal shopper, but a friendly greeting to acknowledge that you’ve walked into the store is the norm. They weren’t busy, so it wasn’t because they were understaffed. In fact, on the men’s floor alone there were about 7 staff. Three of them were behind the counter, looking busy as ever with no customers to serve. Was there really that many things to do guys?
Secondly, for a store that claims to be fashion forward and trendy, the pieces were quite lacklustre. Nothing stands out and screams «TRY ME!». A few of their blazers had pocket squares in them, which I thought was a really classy touch. Until I noticed that they were sewn into the jackets themselves. I mean really?! I may not be the most fashion conscious or hipster-​rific person, but that is just wrong.
Bottom line, go somewhere else. Don’t believe the hype.

The Spanish design house made an entrance into Australia that set the media world on fire. Newspapers were lit up with ‘Zara’ and the people followed suit.
At first there was always a huge line to get into Zara, now not so much. Unbearable at first i spent a lot of time avoiding the shop, it was hot and i was literally waiting to see the clothing on the racks! Crazy!
The method i could say Zara use to attract people is they bring runways fashions to every day people. The prices in Zara are really fair and if you happen to shop there when there is a sale, then you will be even luckier.
I’ve purchased Zara Jeans on sale for $ 39, Business Shirts for $ 29, Jackets for around $ 80. Always a great place to start looking for some fab additions to your wardrobe. I’m a big fan!

When Zara first came to Melbourne I was underwhelmed. Sad to say a feeling of disappointment and it become a good 6 months before I entered the store.
I guess you could say all excitement was lost. A lot of my associations with Zara have been trough countless overseas shopping expeditions and to know that it is now so readily accessible in my own city puts a slight dampener on my anticipation to spend up big.
Needless to say, I was still transported to another place when I entered the store. Although the «shopping experience» itself was slightly more stressful than an normal day at Zara, you can expect to see the same product… sometimes…
I notice a jacket that I had purchased on Oxford Street London starring me in the face as I walked in. Then to my surprise a pair of heels that I purchased in Singapore some 18months ago. So a little unsure of wear the stock is coming from and just how quick the turn over really is…
Aside form the above observations, Zara’s price point is ruining its competitors, they make easy to wear, affordable sightly above average quality pieces that sill fit in with the ‘fashion forward’ consumer.
If you worried that everyone else will be wearing the Zara look don’t, before you have a chance to dress yourself there will be new stock rolling in before you know it.

Writing about chain stores sparingly here, and within good reason. Like with Sydney, Zara here at Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne was also a hit when it first opened. Be prepared to queue up and wait to get in. Although the latter is not much the case anymore, apart from the fitting rooms. There is a bit of a wait to try your clothes on, however the queue passes by considerably quickly.
We were promised that the different clothing items on hand would be fresh and not the kind that you would find in Europe months earlier, how wrong. However, in saying this the range is diverse; although a simply upmarket version of Target. The pricing is weird, and does not do high quality clothing that much justice; in tandem with the store announcements; where you would be forgiven that your feel that your in a supermarket shopping.
A diverse range, and great fashion tops in particular. A couple of them look like seconds so be careful. The service isn’t too bad, although slightly impersonal. It is great to be another member of the tribe carrying a blue Zara bag around town; and in the afternoon on a weekday as well while many people are at work.

Sadly, Melbourne doesn’t do High Street fashion very well. The rather simple concept of quality on trend pieces at low prices just doesn’t seem to translate. If the US and the UK can do it than why on earth can’t we?
Troves of Aussies return from overseas adventures raving about the shopping and, especially, raving about Zara. The extremely popular Spanish style emporium that offers cheap classic clothing.
I think that Zara made the mistake of assuming that it’s Melbourne customers hadn’t checked out their awesome international stores. Because a lot us have and a lot of us are disappointed.
Not only is the stock seasons old in some cases, but the prices are also really marked up. Despite the beautiful building that Zara is housed in, the interior still has a crappy department store vibe and the staff always seem stressed and harried.
Word on the street is that English retail giant Topshop are coming to Melbourne. I only hope that they do a better job than Zara.

Opening in Melbourne this year with as much fanfare as when Oprah came to town, the media hype was that Zara would revolutionise fashion, style and shopping for the modern Melbournian woman.
It’s my belief the flurry of media activity surrounding the grand opening has had more to do with Zara’s subsequent success than the trends they’re offering.
Tipped to rival Myer and David Jones in the fashion stakes, I waited two months after Zara opened to check out what all the fuss was about. I’ll admit I was excited, I’d walked past almost weekly for eight weeks and the crowds had subdued only slightly, a guard still at the door sometimes halting people from entering due to overcrowding.
And when I did finally make it in, it was like getting ripped off by Santa Claus at Christmas time. All the hype was just that. Just one floor of women’s clothing (one floor, how is that supposed to compete with Myer?!) And there was nothing revolutionary or slightly original about the generic stack of mediocre clothing (now I’ve seen it I can’t even call it fashion).
Being a mother with a one year old, the experience was made worse by the severe shortage of space, resulting in me only being able to do a quick lap, which was one quick lap too many as it was.
Not wanting to let go altogether of the joy I’d felt pre-​entry, I found a basic, white singlet, for which I paid $ 25. May not be much but I could get the same thing elsewhere for probably $ 10.
A huge disappointment.

Want to pay designer prices for mass-​produced high street clothes? Then hit Zara Bourke Street. I don’t mean to be hypercritical — I am a massive Zara fan after all — but the second outpost of Zara Australia is a little disappointing when compared to its European contemporaries.
When I’m feeling particularly nostalgic about the wonder of the British high street I tend to indulge in a little high street window shopping online, so I know how much Zara’s wares are selling for in Europe. And I am not impressed.
Sure, there are some bargains to be had within Zara’s ‘Basics’ range but fall in love with anything from the Zara Woman collection and you’re looking at upwards of $ 160 for a jacket and $ 180 for a dress. I.e. at least 30% more than your European sisters are paying.
If you do find yourself in need of a trip to the Melbourne branch of what is now officially World’s most popular high street store, avoid like the plague at the weekends. Queues have been known to stretch almost the entire length of the store: fast fashion never felt so slow.
My suggestions? More changing rooms, slightly lower prices, a more expansive collection of womenswear — the London flagship stores have at least two floors for women alone — and more of Zara’s mid-​range pieces, even if that means doing away with the WHOLE FLOOR designated for childrenswear. Problem (s) solved!