Zara dethrones Nike and crowns itself the world's most valuable fashion brand
The Inditex firm surpasses the Oregon giant thanks to enviable operational solidity, while the sports brand suffers "gloomy" forecasts
BarcelonaCycle change in the ranking of the most influential brands on the planet. According to a report published this Thursday by the consumer consultancy Kantar, Zara has achieved what seemed impossible just a decade ago: to surpass the North American giant Nike and become the most valuable fashion brand in the world. The flagship firm of the Inditex group has reached a value of 44 billion dollars, with a growth of 18% in the last year.
Zara's achievement is not only explained by good sales figures, but also by the difficult times faced by the well-known sports brand, which sponsors teams and athletes around the world, including Barça. The historic leader in the sports fashion sector faces a "dark" scenario, according to analysts.
Its main headache is in China, where Nike has suffered a serious deterioration of its image. To try to regain prestige, the company has decided to clear inventory and close points of sale in the Asian country, a strategy that will cause a 20% drop in revenue in the region, added to global sales forecasts of a drop of between 2% and 4%.
On the other hand, Zara – which represents around 70% of the Inditex empire – has presented figures of solid strength. Despite a slight slowdown in e-commerce, the group founded by Amancio Ortega has demonstrated enviable operational efficiency: revenue has grown by 7% at constant exchange rates in the last year.
The billion club
Beyond the textile sector, the global ranking shows a historic shake-up at the top. Google has regained the #1 spot among the world's most influential brands for the first time since 2018, ending Apple's four-year reign. Google's rise – with a 57% increase – is explained by the total integration of Gemini across its entire product ecosystem.
The report also marks the consolidation of the "billion-dollar club." It is no longer Apple's exclusive territory; Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are now joining, confirming that the race for generative AI is the most powerful economic engine today.
AI and the Chinese push
The report also highlights the emergence of new players born from the algorithmic revolution. Claude –a generative AI tool– debuts directly at 27th place, while ChatGPT registers a growth of 285%, a meteoric rise that only Blackberry surpassed in 2008.
Finally, the report warns of the unstoppable force of Asian brands. With 23 representatives in the top 100, companies like Tencent (technology and video games), Alibaba (commerce), and TikTok are growing at a pace that Western multinationals can barely keep up with.
