Independence Brothers is not affiliated with Zara and the opinions expressed here are my own.

Zara is one of the world's most successful fashion retail brands. It's widely recognized by people of all ages from around the globe. Zara's dramatic introduction of "fast fashion," in 1975, has pushed them to the top of the retail chain. At Zara, you will find a massive collection of men and women's shoes, accessories, clothing, swimwear, beauty products, and their own line of perfumes. Zara is currently owned by the Inditex group, the world's largest apparel retailer. How has Zara managed to stay on top of the fashion world? How does their clothing compared to other brands, and are they the place to go for leather jackets? Are you wondering if it's worth it to spend your hard-earned dough at Zara? Read on to learn all about the history and success of this famous brand, and decide if a stop to Zara should be on your next shopping trip.

Founder, Amancio Ortega, opened the first Zara store in 1975 in Galicia, Spain. Zara is credited with being one of the first fast-fashion retailers. A trend that we still see today in stores like H&M, Forever21, ASOS, and so many more. The first Zara shop sold items that mimicked popular, high-end fashions at a much lower cost. By the 1980s, Ortega had opened additional stores and implemented new methods in the design and distribution process to produce clothing even quicker, which he referred to as "instant fashions." He did this to keep up with the latest fashion trends. Since the beginning, Zara has catered to its customers. Many attribute their dedication to giving the people what they want within a short period of time, the key to their massive success.

In 1989, Zara entered the United States. In the following years, new Zara shops popped up in France, Mexico, Greece, Belgium, and Sweden. The success of these stores throughout the late 90s prompted Zara to open stores in Japan, Russia, China, Hungary, South Korea, South Africa, and Australia, just to name a few. In 2010, Zara jumped on the e-commerce bandwagon and opened its online boutique. In 2019, Zara updated its logo and is now on a mission to help reduce their carbon footprint. They are working to offer fast fashion in a much more sustainable way. Today, the brand produces children's clothing (Zara Kids) and a sub-brand Zara TRF which caters to young women and teens. Zara manages up to 20 clothing collections a year.

• Leather Jacket Options: Most of the men's leather jacket options on Zara.com are made from faux leather; however, they do have a few genuine leather options as well. The men's leather jackets in Zara come in sizes S through XXL. That being said, they don't currently have all of the size options available for their selection of leather jackets.

• Ordering Process: The ordering process is quite straightforward. The site is organized pretty well, and you can quickly do a search for leather jackets, or look to the left of the page and search for men's outerwear. You don't have to be a member of the site to place an order, but it's usually recommended in case there's an issue with your purchase. Once you choose the item you want, add it to the cart and continue the check out process. They also offer a few different shipping options. Read about the shipping methods here to decide which is best for you.
  

Tip:If you're hesitant to sign up for an account with Zara because you don't want to receive those annoying marketing emails, once you make an account, you can unsubscribe to the email list.

• User-Friendliness: Zara.com is user-friendly. While you're browsing the site, you can check the availability of an item in a store closest to you. There are only 85 stores throughout the US, and most of them are on the East Coast. New York alone has 9 stores. If you live far from a major US city, chances are you will have to resort to buying online if you want to purchase an item from Zara. They also offer multiple forms of payment, which is a significant plus. A major concern when browsing the website though was the lack of customer service options. If you don't have any questions, the site will be straightforward to navigate, but if you want to speak with a customer service rep, finding the number is a hassle. I had to go through quite a few steps to find the contact information. If you decide to buy a leather jacket from Zara and it doesn't fit, they do accept returns. If you're one of the lucky ones and live close to a Zara, they do allow customers to return items they purchased online in-store. If not, you can select a pick-up point convenient for you and drop off your item there. Note that you only have 30 days to get your money back, so be sure to keep your receipts and the box your item ships in if you're unsure about it.

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If you're a savvy customer who cares about more than just a popular brand name, you can't go wrong by trusting this up and coming startup that is revolutionizing the leather jacket scene.

You can check out their jacket lineup here.

The genuine leather biker jacket by Zara is made out of 100% lambskin with a polyester lining. Zara makes about half of its clothing in factories around Spain. There are a dozen company-owned manufacturing plants in Spain, Portugal, and Turkey. While there's no saying exactly which factory the leather biker jacket is made in, you can narrow it down to one of the twelve factories worldwide. One of the notable differences between Zara and other fast fashion retail giants is how they produce their goods. They don't outsource to Asia, much like their competitors, and they strive to provide people with safe and clean working environments. Zara employs over 24,000 people in manufacturing alone.

One of the critical factors in the massive success of Zara is their promise to provide better quality items at fair prices. The lambskin leather biker jacket is ultra-high quality and has that quintessential buttery feel we expect from a leather jacket. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the Zara lambskin leather biker jacket.

• The Fit: You may notice this jacket fits a bit looser than others. This jacket, in particular, is designed to fit close to the body, but not as close as a moto jacket. It has that classic biker fit. You know, like the ones you would see movie stars in the 60s rocking. Remember, biker jackets were first intended to offer an extra layer of protection to motorcycle riders, that's why they feel thicker and heavier than other styles.

• The Feel: The jacket feels very soft to the touch, much like you would expect from high-quality lamb leather. The lining is made from 100% polyester and didn't feel itchy or uncomfortable. This jacket is incredibly easy to throw on over any outfit.

• The Look: The Zara Leather biker jacket has more of a distressed look than a clean-cut leather jacket. It has a slight vintage, worn-out vibe to it, making it truly unique. This biker jacket is fitted with a pointed lapel collar, long sleeves with zip cuffs, front pockets with zip closure flaps, and a buckle belt at the hem. The front of the jacket is an asymmetric metal zip closure.

• When to Wear: This is a much thicker jacket than many other lambskin leather jackets we have tried. It feels very durable, and it's on the heavier side. You can wear this jacket during the fall and winter. You may want to add a scarf or a sweater under if you live in a colder place. Since this jacket distressed, it may not be the best for the office or formal occasions. Keep this Zara biker jacket in your closet to amp up any weekend look. It's perfect to wear to a concert, bar, date, or party.

If you're shopping on the US site, they have a great tool to help you figure out which size you are. They help you calculate your perfect fit based on your exact measurements. Using the size guide, found directly under the product description, add in your height and weight. We loved that Zara took it one step further by asking their customers to choose a fit preference: tighter, perfect, looser. If you decide to purchase a leather jacket from the site, this is the best resource to help you find your correct size.

Without a doubt, an off the rack, mass-produced leather jacket will not be every guy's cup of tea. If Zara doesn't have your size in stock, or the look of the coat doesn't fit your personality, we recommend going custom. A custom leather jacket is the only way you can guarantee the fit, style, color, and material is exactly what you envisioned. At Independence Brothers, we create bespoke leather jackets by hand. Our customers choose all the materials, colors, and finishings they want on their jacket. We understand it's not always easy to find jackets that not only fit but you feel good wearing. Our custom jackets are catered toward men of all shapes and sizes.

Is there room for improvement? If you ask us, the answer is yes. That being said, no company is perfect, and no business ever will be. We do appreciate the number of leather jacket options Zara has to offer for men. Zara has a good range of less expensive options as well as plenty of vegan leather alternatives for folks who choose not to wear genuine leather. The biggest issue we had was the severe lack of size options. As of now, most of the leather jackets on the Zara website are not fully stocked. The sizes that seemed to be the most sparse were size S and XXL. If you fall under the M to L size category, you will probably have the most success shopping at Zara. Any guys out there looking to add a classic, casual, comfortable jacket to their wardrobe, be sure to check out Zara. The price is right and with proper care, the coat should last for a long time to come.

Pros:

• Comfortable
• Good quality
• Fair price
• Durable/warm
• Easy to throw on

Cons:

• Only one color option
• Not many sizes to choose from
• Not suitable for formal occasions
• The distressed look is not for everyone

We do think Zara is a good option for men looking to buy budget-friendly leather jackets while still looking put together. If you live close to a Zara store, we recommend checking the jackets out in person. If you're a guy looking for a more classic, luxurious leather jacket, we don't think you'll find it at Zara. Keep in mind that Zara does cater more toward men on the younger side. You can clearly see from their models they are trying to appeal to a certain aesthetic. I think Zara is excellent for guys looking to veer off the beaten path when it comes to fashion. They have some of the most eclectic pieces for men and women. Keep in mind they take their inspiration from the runways of Paris, Milan, and NYC. Zara's looks are not always for everyone, especially if you're on the more conservative side. Next time you're looking to make a statement, stand out from the crowd, and rock a new leather jacket, give Zara a shot.