Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at 50 Years, 50 Icons.
Photo: Marc Regas / Zara
After a series of high-profile collaborations, Zara is going all out to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The highlight is an epic video, 50 Years, 50 Icons, shot by Steven Meisel, set to release on May 9—exactly 50 years after Amancio Ortega opened the first Zara store in A Coruña, Spain. By 2011, with a store in Australia, Zara had a physical presence on five continents.
50 Years, 50 Icons by Steven Meisel. Styled by Karl Templer. Makeup by Pat McGrath, hair by Guido Palau. Art direction by Jason Duzansky. Casting by Piergiorgio Del Moro.
The video features models from around the world, and bringing so many superstars together feels historic. Only Meisel, with his deep appreciation for models and encyclopedic fashion knowledge, could have made it happen.
“There’s nobody who could do this like Steven,” said Christy Turlington Burns. “I’ve been part of special group shoots before, but this was the biggest. We didn’t know the full cast until we arrived—every corner brought another surprise.”
Linda Evangelista, who recently starred in Meisel’s Zara capsule campaign, added, “It felt like a reunion, but I also met new people. I just wanted to soak it all in.”
Shot in black and white, the models dance and sing along to Donna Summer’s 1977 hit I Feel Love.
“I laughed when I got the lyrics,” Evangelista recalled. “I used to blast that song in my basement. It brings back memories—my cousin Helen visited from New York with her amazing ’80s hair and style. She introduced me to Donna Summer and gave me her albums.”
The song wasn’t just a hit—its electronic production revolutionized music. Similarly, Zara transformed fashion by making stylish clothing affordable.
“People call it fast fashion, but I keep and rewear my Zara pieces,” Evangelista said. “One of my favorite pairs of jeans is from Zara.” Turlington, who isn’t a big shopper, loves Zara’s “classic pieces—they look well-made, effortless, and stylish.”
The 50 Years, 50 Icons collection includes 128 minimalist black-and-white pieces, inspired by celebratory tuxedo dressing—coinciding with Superfine: Tailoring Black Style at The Met. There’s also a limited-edition T-shirt featuring portraits of all 50 models.
Turlington Burns reflected, “The song was a perfect choice. The world felt dark when we filmed this, so focusing on positivity is important. It’s a beautiful, infectious energy to share.”
The anniversary collection launches Friday, May 9, with prices starting from…Check out Zara’s 50th-anniversary collection, with prices ranging from $26 to $459. Swipe left to explore.
Here are the 50 models featured in the campaign:
Abbey Lee, Adriana Lima, Alek Wek, Amar Akway, Amber Valletta, Amelia Gray, Awar Odhiang, Candice Swanepoel, Carla Bruni, Caroline Trentini, Carolyn Murphy, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Doutzen Kroes, Edie Campbell, Eva Herzigova, Fei Fei Sun, Georgia Palmer, He Cong, Imaan Hammam, Irina Shayk, Iselin Steiro, Joan Smalls, Julia Nobis, Karen Elson, Karlie Kloss, Lexi Boling, Lina Zhang, Linda Evangelista, Liya Kebede, Lulu Tenney, Mariacarla Boscono, Marisa Berenson, Maty Fall, Meghan Collison, Mona Tougaard, Naomi Campbell, Natasha Poly, Paloma Elsesser, Paulina Porizkova, Penelope Tree, Precious Lee, Rianne Van Rompaey, Rosalieke Fuchs, Sascha Rajasalu, Sasha Pivovarova, Sora Choi, Twiggy, Vittoria Ceretti, and Yasmin Warsame.