Final year Fashion Business Management BA Honours students have visited Inditex’s headquarters in A Coruña, Spain, where they gained first-hand insight into how one of the world’s largest fashion groups operates.
During the trip, which took place between 23-25 February, 23 students were accompanied by lecturers Berit Marleen Eis and Melanie Wijesinghe to explore one of the world's largest fashion retailers, which features a portfolio of brands including Zara, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius and Massimo Dutti.
Over the three days, students had the chance to tour the Inditex headquarters and distribution centre and witnessed in real time the interlinking functions of a fast-paced global business. Students observed the trading floors of the buying and merchandising teams, live photoshoots, explored mock stores and design rooms, and learned about the company’s newest cutting-edge technology. The talk also allowed students to understand Inditex’s commitment to sustainability across the supply chain, and how Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology supports the scale of their worldwide distribution network. The visit evidently showed how data-driven decision-making underpins everything from product development to logistics.
Students also visited MOP, the Inditex Foundation, where they had a guided tour of the Annie Leibovitz: Wonderland exhibition, which explored the intersection of fashion, photography and storytelling in a different creative context, while showcasing Leibovitz’s influential career and her impact on visual culture.
The trip marked the first of many University visits to Inditex HQ, as Westminster continues to grow its relationship with the retail giant. Inditex visited the University’s Harrow Campus on 12 March for a fashion recruitment day, where Fashion Design and Fashion Business Management students were able to apply for jobs and attend their interviews on the day.
The visit was possible thanks to funding from the Westminster School of Arts’ Distant Horizons scheme. With the strong relationship built during the trip, plans are already underway to make this an annual opportunity for Fashion Business Management BA Honours students.
Daniel Fernandez from the Inditex’s Talent Team, who met the students, said: “Thank you for the warm words and your enthusiasm before and during your visit. We have really enjoyed your company, and we look forward to meeting you in a couple of weeks!”
Allison Harris, one of the students who attended, said: “I had the chance to explore the buying departments, garment technology and e-commerce teams of renowned the Spanish fashion company Zara, including seeing a live shoot in action as well as the distribution centre. It was fascinating to see how each function works seamlessly together to support such a globally successful brand. Annie Leibovitz’s photography was also incredibly inspiring and a perfect addition to an already unforgettable trip.
“A huge thank you to the fantastic team at Zara for being so welcoming and for encouraging us to apply for the 2026 graduate schemes. It was truly motivating to gain such valuable industry insight.”
Laura Penn, another student, added: “It was really interesting to see how everything works behind the scenes and to better understand the scale and structure of the company. Seeing the way such a major global business operates in real life definitely gave me a different perspective on how a global fashion business operates day to day.”
The trip directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4: Quality Education, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Fashion courses at the University of Westminster.
