(Yicai) Nov. 8 -- Inditex, the Spanish fast-fashion giant behind brands such as Zara and Massimo Dutti, is keeping up with trends in China's rapidly changing fashion landscape by partnering with local designers and expanding its online presence through livestreaming and TikTok’s sister app Douyin, according to the head of its Chinese business.

“The market is evolving very quickly,” Eugenio Bregolat Lukashov, president of Inditex China, told Yicai at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai yesterday. “We're constantly evaluating the position in the market and also the trends in the market. I think that this is something that all brands are doing.

“China today looks very different from 20 years ago, 10 years ago, or even five years ago,” noted Bregolat Lukashov, who has lived in the Asian country for 27 years. “We need to adjust to those changing realities in what the cities look like, in customer demands, and also in customer habits.”

To this end, Inditex has been digitizing its strategy in the past few years, launching livestreaming shows, and embracing short-video platform Douyin.

The company has also rejigged its offline sales channels, closing some stores and opening others. For example, Zara has launched a new concept store in Shanghai's picturesque Anfu Road, its smallest outlet in China to date. The retailer is also preparing to open its Asia flagship store in Nanjing, alongside refurbishing older ones.

“We're constantly looking for opportunities to expand,” Bregolat Lukashov pointed out.

Inditex had 192 stores in China as of January, 68 percent fewer than in 2018, according to publicly available information.

In a nod to local tastes, Zara will be collaborating with the avant-garde Chinese brand Ao Yes on a special collection that has been inspired by China for China, Bregolat Lukashov said, adding that the company is looking forward to continuing its collaboration with local designers.

China is a very competitive market, forcing Inditex to zero in on improving its fashion proposition, Bregolat Lukashov noted. “We welcome all competitors. It's great to see that China has evolved a lot over the last few years when it comes to design, when it comes to quality. And that pushes us to be at the top of our game every day."

Ideas fashioned in China can be taken outside of the country. “For us, China is not only a source of the market where we sell our products,” he said, “most importantly it's really a source of a lot of inspiration for us globally.”

For example, a few weeks ago Inditex launched Zara Streaming, an interactive platform that allows shoppers to buy directly from a live video experience, after being inspired by China's vibrant livestreaming scene. The reception in the United States and Europe has been positive, Bregolat Lukashov noted.

Editor: Emmi Laine