Zara Spring 2024 Studio Collection Campaign by Steven Meisel and Fabien Baron AOC Fashion

Zara [IG] drops its Studio Collection twice a year, with today’s Spring 2024 drop called Rêveries. The only major omission in the model lineup is Christina Hendricks dropping in from ‘Mad Men’ to celebrate the new campaign heavy on proper dame looks.

Real-world models include Fei Fei Sun, Nyawurh Chuol, rising model Rosalieke Fuchs and Vivienne Rohner. Are they pondering Betty Friedan’s life-changing book ‘The Feminine Mystique’ [1963] — but are not quite ready to tackle the deeply philosophical and life-unsettling Simone de Bouveoir treatise ‘The Second Sex’ [1949]?

Steven Meisel [IG] shoots the quartet in rich, mid-century midtones, sheerish blouses, cardigans and pencil skirts, complemented by interior furniture in sensual hues and slowly-increasing sunlight. Fabien Baron [IG] is creative director and filmmaker in an award-worthy film — although it probably resonates more deeply with an older woman who lived as a young womanin this time period, when life began to open wide for women.

This is one team worth celebrating. They do some really good work. Add Karl Templer on styling and Mary Howard on set design.

Zara 2023 Financials and 2024 Jumpstart

Inditex, the parent company of Zara, reported record sales for the fiscal year 2023, with revenues reaching €36 billion (£31 billion), a 10.4% increase from the previous year.

The conglomerate delivered a stunning 30.3% increase in net income to €5.38 billion. Revenue has grown 11% from February 1 to March 11.

Absolute experts in global shipping and logistics, Inditex announced today that their average shipping times have been delayed by about a week by the Red Sea crisis. Avoiding the Red Sea and Suez Canal lest their vessels be blown up by Yemen’s Houthis, Inditex has rerouted vessels around South Africa.

Financial Impact of Israel and Hamas War Plus the Houthis

Given the catastrophic nature of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza, Inditex seems to be doing a premium-grade job of digesting higher fuel costs and losing only a week in transit time.

If Inditex can manage the challenge this well, shippers may avoid the Suez Canal all together for the indefinite future. Such action would create catastrophic economic problems for the region and Egypt, in particular.

The Houthis think they are top dogs for Palestine, but they may be creating a dreadful economic mess for neighboring economies.

Tourism and the Suez Canal are two of Egypt’s major sources of foreign exchange. 3 million Egyptians are employed in Egypt’s tourism industries, which are currently facing a 10-30% decline in business.

As Al Jazeera notes the Egyptian economy was just recovering from COVID. We note also they blame Israel as the only aggressor in the region, but AOC isn’t getting caught up in that argument. We have few issues with Al Jazeera English reporting, generally-speaking.

Hopes, Dreams and a Seemingly Bright Future

Returning to the Zara Studio Collection Spring 2024 campaign Rêveries, it cannot be overstated how the horizon of optimism dominated this moment. Women were discovering their sense of individuality that transcended their traditional roles — as well as their sensuality in a time of legal contraception.

Young people began touring the world from London to Marrakech to New York. Liberation movements swept thru Africa and around the world. Women in Kabul and Khartoum dressed like women in New York. There was so much hope for better lives for all the world’s peoples.

Having written those words, on October 29, 1956 the Suez Canal was in crisis with the Second Arab-Israeli War. In July 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser had nationalized the Suez Canal.

That’s another story, but how sad that we cannot manage to create peace in the region. ~ Anne