Narciso Rodriguez is not just perfumes

Zara continues the process of absorbing luxury codes begun in recent years. Committed to redefining its aesthetics and elevating its perceptions to move further and further away from the "classic" fast fashion narrative of H&M or Uniqlo, the Spanish chain of stores is intercepting the renewed interest in 90s fashion with its idea of minimal and discreet luxury and is preparing to launch a new capsule collection with Narciso Rodriguez. 

Over the course of his more than 30-year career, Narciso Rodriguez has become an American fashion icon. Born in New Jersey to Cuban parents, he fell in love with clothes because of the timeless style of the women in his family. His essential creations with feminine, clean, tailored, and refined silhouettes contributed to the rise of 1990s minimalism and won over fashion icons such as Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, who chose the designer for her very famous wedding dress. His career took him to work for Maisons such as Calvin Klein and Loewe, and when the fame of his clothes began to be overshadowed by other brands more adherent to current trends, while continuing to design for his eponymous brand he built a mini perfume empire. Narciso Rodríguez for Her (in all its variants) is, with its olfactory bouquet of musk and amber, one of the world's best-selling fragrances and a landmark in the perfume universe that has allowed the brand to consolidate its success and fame. In recent seasons, especially those following the pandemic, Rodriguez has preferred to focus on beauty, take on film and television projects, and dress loyal private clients and celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Claire Danes, Julianna Margulies, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who have often sported the Cuban-American designer's timelessly stylish garments in life and on the red carpet. The collaboration with Zara represents an opportunity for Rodriguez to make himself known to Gen Z by repurposing at an affordable piece some of the pieces that made the history of 90s minimalism.

Rodriguez selected 25 iconic pieces from his archive that Zara then reproduced. The collection includes ready-to-wear and accessories such as the bias-cut slip dress that debuted at the spring 1997 Cerruti show and is reminiscent of the wedding dress Carolyn Bessette wore to marry John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1996. Among the most interesting garments are the draped red silk crepe dress from spring 2018 that recalls the made charcoal gray sheath dress sported by Kate Moss at Cannes in 1998; the high-waisted pants and knit turtleneck with suspenders in the image below were inspired by collections from the mid-2010s; the bustier that dates from fall/winter 1998; but also the double-face black wool coat with side slits and leather band belt that perfectly embodies quintessential Rodriguez. 

The Narciso Rodriguez x Zara capsule, inspired by the minimal, timeless style of Carolyn Bessette and presented with an advertising campaign starring Natalia Vodianova photographed by Craig McDean, will be available online and in select stores on September 8. Prices range from $119 for a strapless wool bustier to $499 for a double-face wool coat.