The fast-fashion line Zara is all the rage in Europe. Kate Middleton and her sister, Pippa, are frequently photographed wearing their affordable designs.
Zara's having trouble breaking into the U.S. because they don't participate in "vanity sizing," or labeling bigger clothes with a smaller size. Zara clothes are true to size, reports Amina Akhtar at Elle.
The company sold $19.1 billion worth of clothes in 2011, the Economist reported in March. They want to expand and form global
But U.S. women can't wear form-fitting clothes like European and Chinese women can, according to the article:
Zara has struggled in America, for instance. It sells trendy cuts and slim fits. Outside the biggest cities, Americans have long preferred classic, roomier clothes (though this may be changing). Chinese office ladies like Zara's slim fits more, says Fraser Ramzan of Nomura, a bank. Iria Campos, a Zara designer, says Chinese women choose pastels to flatter their pale skin rather than the stronger colours Europeans prefer; but otherwise they have surprisingly similar tastes.
Obesity rates are lower in Europe and almost nonexistent in Asia, according to this chart by the BBC.
Meanwhile, 30 to 40 percent of U.S. adults are considered obese.
To gain popularity in the U.S., Zara would have to redesign its clothing.