PARIS – A 3,500-euro fuzzy white sofa was one of the hottest pieces showcased in the genre-crossing exhibition Zara staged here as part of its 50th anniversary.

Dubbed “Conversation Island,” the design was conceived by music sensation Rosalía, who, dressed in a matching white dress, joined the crammed guest list of the event celebrating the milestone and four-day exhibit on Wednesday, on the eve of its opening to public.

From Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista to Charlotte Rampling and Luca Guadagnino – passing through the likes of Narciso Rodriguez, Anna Sui, Ludovic de Saint Sernin, Pat McGrath, Guido Palau, Mario Sorrenti, Marisa Berenson, Alexandre de Betak, Karl Templer and Fabien Baron, to cite a few – guests were welcomed by Marta Ortega Pérez, nonexecutive chair of Zara’s parent company Inditex.

Ortega Pérez invited many of those in attendance, along with other collaborators and friends of the company, to create an object of their desire for the anniversary, which were all displayed in a sprawling two-story pop-up at 40 Avenue Georges V. Spanning more than 5,400 square feet, the exhibition was staged with the help of fashion show production go-to agency Bureau Betak and curated by Sarah Andelman, the cofounder of legendary Paris landmark Colette and founder of Just an Idea, who also contributed one of the 50 objects.

These encompassed different categories, from apparel and fragrances to furniture and homeware, resulting in an eclectic mix that was entirely shoppable for the night and will officially launch at a selection of Zara stores and online on Oct. 6.

Highlights included a Labubu figurine by creator Kasing Lung, priced at 529 euros; a pink surfboard designed by newly appointed Balenciaga artistic director Pierpaolo Piccioli; a bathrobe by Alaïa designer Pieter Mulier; t-shirts by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar and photographer Annie Leibovitz; Guadagnino’s Rosi sweaters depicting his puppy; a pet carrier by Steven Meisel, and a pastry-themed jacket by Cédric Grolet.

“I was like: ‘What do I really want and need? What’s luxurious?’” Evangelista told WWD about the cashmere bathrobe coat that was her contribution to the project. “A long time ago I used to have a beautiful bathrobe that the moths got to,” she recalled. “But at the same time I wanted something that I could wear not just inside my house. I wanted a coat that goes with everything: with a little black dress, with a man’s suit, with your jeans or when walking your dog – just a multi-purpose coat. If you had to choose one coat to pack, which one would you pack? And what color? And also [something] to snuggle up in the winter at home by the fireplace. It’s very cozy.”

Yet her item was not the only one on her wish list. In between snapping a photo of the travel case set designed by pal Christy Turlington and enthusing about Sorrenti’s printed puffer jacket, she expressed her preference for the colorful glasses by designer Marc Newson.

To be sure, for many guests the soirée turned into a little shopping spree. Sales associates armed with tablets helped them on-site to pre-order their favorite pieces online, as designer Serge Ruffieux did by adding David Sims’ printed sleeping bags into his virtual cart.

“I have seen so many things. I walked in and I was floored by the Norman Foster travel bag,” said Rodriguez about the British architect’s trio set to carry colored pencils, sketches and a laptop. “And I had seen Mario Sorrenti’s puffer and I told him I was going to get it. And now I’m seeing it in person, and I’m definitely getting it.”

As for his own contribution, Rodriguez displayed a 2003 archival black-and-white dress with spaghetti straps from his namesake brand. “I have a good relationship with Marta [Ortega Pérez], I know what she likes. So I looked for something that I thought represented both me and her. It was a true collaboration,” said the designer.

“I love Narciso’s dress. It’s so beautiful, just gorgeous,” echoed Sui, who also joined the project with a vintage black minidress. 

“It was so exciting to be asked to do this. I’d just released a book on the ‘90s so I said: ‘let’s do something from the ‘90s, let’s recreate something’,” recalled Sui. “We sent them a few ideas and then they chose this one from the runway and they reproduced it exactly how it was, with all the accessories – the stockings, the garter belt and the rosette.

“It’s so interesting that they chose so many different artists and they [came up with items] not in their field, like doing home products,” continued Sui. “I think that’s so great that they’re giving everybody an opportunity to create outside of their world.”

Case in point, de Saint Sernin veering from fashion to conceive a sleek leather chair. “I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and I always have loved furniture design and interior design. And I love Zara Home, I have pieces at home from Zara Home,” said de Saint Sernin. “So I really wanted to work with the home team and build something that feels totally me but at the same time that feels new and exciting… Obviously I had to go for leather and hardware and it’s a sling so it has a fun, kinky side to it.”  

Rodriguez also said he’s a fan of Zara’s sister categories, from home to the kids line. “My children always look good because they wear Zara Kids. It’s beautiful,” he said. When asked what’s the first word he associates with the company, the designer pointed to “speed and ease. They make life easy for everybody.”

While Sui and de Saint Sernin opted for “accessible” and “global,” respectively, for Evangelista there was only one possible answer to the query. “Marta! I’m loving her vision, the direction she’s going in. It’s not like fast fashion anymore… when you buy something and bring it home, it stays in your closet. It’s not just for the season,” said Evangelista.

To be sure, Ortega Pérez has masterminded the repositioning and elevation of the brand from high-street chain to cultural player through a robust collaboration strategy. 

The anniversary exhibition, which was a year in the making, is only the latest move she orchestrated to align Zara with creatives and cultural figures and position it as aspirational, an evolution started in 2022 with a collection from Rodriguez.