Taj Mahal- A Trip to Heavenly Love

Okay! We all have been seeing men getting awestruck by the beauty of women for an eternity now. Expressing their feelings through music, art, writing, poetry is a conventional yet celebrated way in love. Literature and history are full of such examples where lovers could be seen crossing all the boundaries. But above all, the most astounding deed so far was done by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his loving wife Mumtaz Mahal in the form of white marble mausoleum Taj Mahal.

One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is the most iconic image of India and is mainly famous for its legend of eternal love. In a recent online survey by a website named TripAdvisor, travellers from across the globe ranked India's Taj Mahal among the top three landmarks in the world. Taj’s magical allure attracts around 3-4 million tourists with a huge number of International tourists every year. Such is its miraculous appeal that anyone can easily fall for Taj. And ever since I saw this gigantic marble beauty, I too fell in love with this epitome of love and architecture of exquisite beauty.

Friends, few days back, I got a chance to visit Agra to see the Taj Mahal with my friends. We planned a day-trip and chose to go by road. We decided to reach Agra via Yamuna expressway. As always I was super excited for this trip. It wasn't like that I was going to Agra for the first time; I had been there many times before. I don’t exactly remember when was the first time I visited Agra but yes I was quite young, a kid in fact and went to Agra with my parents for a relative’s wedding. And the day after wedding, we went to see the Taj Mahal. That was my first stint with my dear Taj. Guys, I still remember I was being told by somebody that once you would see the Taj Mahal, it definitely would change your parameters to judge a beauty. I don’t know when would I get the opportunity to witness all the striking architectures of the world, but even after watching all of them, Taj would always be on peak, special and close to my heart. Although this magnetic marble masterpiece looks more arresting at a full moon night but its other shades at different time of the day are no less interesting. From a rosy tinge in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden at night, the changing colours resemble the changing moods of women. Strange!

Well it was a one chilly day of winters. Since morning it was drizzling very slowly making the weather lovelier. Appearing..disappearing in the dark depths of the sky, clouds were seemed to be busy in playing hide and seek like kids. I could feel the softness of fresh raindrops when they were almost kissing my face and lips. This early morning splashing breeze was making my body sing like strings of violin. Yes something mysterious was there in the air which was incessantly raising my heartbeats with happiness. Wow.. What a day it was! Without interrupting our plan, we started our journey. The Yamuna expressway route was good and in accordance to international standards. I even did driving for few kilometers. Though I love chauffeur driven car but driving altogether is a different delight. Sitting next to driver’s seat, I was thinking about the products which used the Taj branding. Starting from one of the best group of hotels in India to a premium tea brand, all have used the name Taj as their brand name. The moment we need to define something magnificent, we start comparing it with Taj. As rich in history as in opulent marble, Taj defines class, richness, majesty, royalty, grandeur, luxury, splendor and what not! The car slowly stopped and we got down for a small tea break.

Precisely after 20 minutes, we’re again on the wheels. Now the Taj Mahal was not so far. From Delhi to Agra via express highway, it takes 2.30 to 3 hours to reach Agra. For those who live in Delhi and wish to see only the Taj Mahal, it is a single day up down if you start early. Now we had entered in to the vicinity of the city and took the help of Google maps to reach our destination. I, most of the time, take the help of Google maps to search a place. But at times, these maps force me to cross the most narrowed streets, busy routes and even a lake. After crossing the expressway, it was a stretch of 20-30 minutes to reach Taj. We also met traffic on our way. The car was crawling till that time providing us an ample time to scan everything that came in the way. Situated on the banks of river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, the city of Agra has a glorious history. Apart from the Taj Mahal, it has several other splendid Mughal-era buildings including Red Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Agra is very well preserved city keeping its rich culture, traditions, values, authenticity still intact. Till today Agra gives that pleasant urbane village feel. Overall it felt great to see the city again.

The cluttered parking zone of the Taj Mahal stranded us with no place left for our car. Somehow after parking the car, we took the battery rickshaw ride to reach the ticket counter.  Whenever I went to see the Taj Mahal, I always found long queues at the ticket counters. This crowd supported the fact that there is no specific season to see this beauty. The security checking process came to an end with a lady guard taking all the chocolates and candies out of my bag. :(

Whoaa!! Finally I was there with lot of joy, thrill and enthusiasm inside. As it rained in the morning, the pleasant fragrance of wet mud from surrounding gardens was everywhere. I felt like a sweet music in the air was inviting me to get closer to Taj. The place, the people, the sights, the weather, everything seemed to be so pleasing, so perfect, almost like a utopia. Yes there was something magical about seeing thousands of people energized at the same time, in seeing happiness being shared so freely, in seeing people finally finding time to do the things they love; in short, seeing people happily live. It felt like the place that I have always imagined in my mind– a place of contented, elated, and free souls. Since this place was not just about nurturing bodies but the minds and souls too. And Taj nurtured all the three for me.

Standing in a queue to have an inside look of Taj, we started discussing the popular myths about this monument. According to a legend, it is believed that Shah Jahan was planning to construct a black marble Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna. As I am bit fearful of twins or identical people, I am happy that it is not true. Here it reminds me of Bibi Ka Maqbara and Taj Mahal Bangladesh that are widely known as replicas of the Taj Mahal. Located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Bibi Ka Maqbara was commissioned by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the memory of his first wife. And a scaled copy of the original Taj Mahal, Taj Mahal Bangladesh was made by a wealthy Bangladeshi film-maker in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, in Sonargaon. But, these two replicas or any other monument can never take over the charisma, grandeur and majesty of our Indian Taj Mahal.

Moving further, I witnessed few dazzling views to die for. The weather kept on changing after every ten minutes as it was drizzling in-between. Here I could see the white clouds playing with the dome of the Taj Mahal. It was too ecstatic to see the sky in all shades of blue. I never saw a river making out with the rain as beautifully as river Yamuna was seen doing so. Flocks of birds were flying together in aesthetic patterns leaving everyone mesmerized, sometimes almost kissing the finial of Taj. I had never in my life imagined the Taj Mahal the way I saw it in that damp. It made my time stand still. The white marble minarets, the red sandstone walls, the pavements, the gardens, the clouds, the sky, the river, the raindrops, the flocks of birds, the sounds, everything there were so bright and unparalleled even better than the finest shots of a professional photographer. This scenic beauty made me happy, excited, fascinated, enthralled, numbed, stunned, relaxed, blessed, loved and what not- all at once! I was charmed by the union of emotions happening inside my heart. I was chuckling like a child who was seeing something for the first time in life. Well I was in love with this weather, this exquisite beauty and this experience of lifetime. I feel the real happiness and inner peace can best be found at a place like this.

Apart from jumping with joy, my heart was constantly asking that if this white marble monument would prove out to be a temple-“Tejo Mahalaya”, would it make any difference in the way millions of people now feel for it! I believed, no, it would not, it would never. Shakespeare very well said that “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

World's most beautiful monument, the Taj Mahal is everything for me, almost like a dream come true feeling. Sometimes I think if God were seeing the Taj Mahal from heaven, he too would get smitten over its infinite beauty and would want to create one for himself. Mughal Emperor Jahangir is reported to have said soulfully about Kashmir- “If there is paradise on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.” Enamoured by the beauty of Taj, I believe that “If someday God would choose any place as his abode on Earth, it would be the Taj Mahal, it would be the Taj Mahal, it would be the Taj Mahal.”

Cantabil to Set Feet in E-Commerce Space

From domestic goods to gadgets, personal care products to jewelry, groceries to apparels, today’s Indian customers prefer almost everything branded.

The brand conscious attitude for gadgets of the aspiring Indian consumers was always evident due to their heavy cost and complex mechanism, but surprisingly the clothing industry also saw an unbelievable boom for brand love. The entire fashion fraternity experienced the customers’ fetish for branded clothes. Since the urban high income class could easily afford the International brands, the middle class was still reeling under the pressure and the need of a premium domestic brand to match up with their expectations. Then to cater to the needs of this segment of Indian market, Delhi based fashion brand Cantabil came into rescue and started its garments manufacturing and retailing business in 2000. The brand opened its first Cantabil store and started in September 2000 from New Delhi. And now after seeing its growing demand in the domestic market, Cantabil’s next agenda is stepping up its online retail presence.

Targeting the service professionals of middle income group, the brand has evolved over the years. One of the few major domestic apparel brands, Cantabil, has now expanded well in small as well as in big cities. After understanding the psyche of its customers, Cantabil is soon coming up with its three more clothing lines: Bonetti in the premium category; Crozo in women’s wear category; and Kaneston- an innerwear & accessories brand. Not just this, the brand has also a big plan to launch its own e-commerce website for its valued clientele.

Cantabil is well aware with the fact that with the opening up of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a lot of global brands are coming into India. Therefore, the brand is all set for this expansion and competition. This apparel brand will push these three upcoming brands aggressively on its upcoming website. The brand operates 150 Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs) in 17 states and 71 cities. Of these, 70 percent stores are in North India covering all major cities of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab. The bright future of e-commerce has forced this Indian brand to come up with its own e-commerce site. Since the domestic market has responded positively, the brand is confident that their online venture will also be received well by their loyal customers.

Raahgiri Day- A Getaway to Health & Fitness

November 16 could be a lovely morning, a lazy morning but no it had to be a much better- a refreshing morning. Oo-Haa-Lo friends, a very good morning! This is Shikha Singh aka Chikki, sharing my experience of November 16 live from my bed. ROBL (Rolling On the Bed Laughing)

Be it a long trip or a short excursion or a casual hangout, travelling, anywhere, is always more than a journey for me. Exploring new places, meeting people and walking through the woods, my wanderlust is gradually awarding me with such profound lifetime experiences. A true blessing in camouflage indeed! And yet again, on November 16, the Almighty tossed me in a peculiar situation, adding to my list of mixed experiences.

Well November 16 was a very normal Sunday. I, completely lost in my dreamland, was enjoying the warmth of my blanket very much like others. Zzzzz Zzzzz.. Sharp 5, my phone started ringing with excited friends calling me for some affair called “Raahgiri Day” in Connaught Place. I hardly knew anything about “Raahgiri Day” and after my inquest, all I got to know was that it’s some fitness or exercise do. However, what I understood, was exactly different from what it really was. Understanding anything appropriately at 5 in the morning tends to be a tough task for anyone.

Anyhow considering it an early morning hangout, I dragged myself out of the bed. Let me be clear that I was forlorn with this sacrifice of my beloved sleep. Huh!! In no time, I got ready and left home for supposedly, the next big thing. Ok! Finally my friends and I got together at Connaught Place. And what I witnessed there was a huge mob coming especially to attend this event. My eyes were wide and open. I couldn’t believe that people could be this interested in “Raahgiri Day”. Gosh!! Amidst all the atrocious crimes occurring in our capital, the fact remains that life goes on. Despite the fact that news channels are inundated with such horrendous incidents, people hardly let these episodes to play a spoiler. Bitter but true!

Now sans breaking the surge of my blog, let me elucidate what was next and what was “Raahgiri Day” all about. While walking through the streets, I could see people connecting with their community, reclaiming their streets and celebrating the joys of their city. Streets were being used for recreational activities to encourage health, fitness, togetherness and happiness. People were too excited participating in activities like cycling, walking, running, skating, playing etc. Stages were setup in order to instruct for zumba, aerobics and yoga and more. Some people were happily singing songs on the streets and some were happily trying to match their steps on the tunes of loud music. Yeahh yay!! Here how could I overlook kids. They too were so enthusiastic, enjoying sports, playing games, doing activities like painting, skating, running, jogging, wall climbing, cycling and what not! One thing I would like to mention here is that nothing can beat the spirit of Delhi people. They are always up for anything to everything even if they really are not physically comfortable in that. Salute to We Delhi People’s Spirit!

Whether it was cycling or wall painting, I too tried my hands on many things. In this arena of joy and festivity, how could I not observe the less privileged people. For them, any occasion is a good source to make some money. In this hustle-bustle, I also met the real "Swachata Abhiyan" hero named Rajkumar who was least interested in this bird called "Raahgiri" and was dedicatedly busy in his road cleaning task. When others were taking oath to clean their Delhi by being a part of "Swachata Abhiyan", Rajkumar was preoccupied in his daily jobs. Actions speak louder than words. Indeed…

On the one hand, people were trying their hard to get fit into their skimpier clothes preparing for exercise and on the other hand, there were people who were enjoying delicacies in the nearby open food joints. From festival to any occasion, we Indians celebrate it with food and that really shows our enduring love affair with food. I too had butterscotch shake and spring rolls from Keventers. Psshh..

From the "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" episode to sitting on the road in groups, from wall painting with hands to holding “Raahgiri Day” balloons and inspiring quotes, from dancing on the tunes of aerobics’ jazzy music to cycling on traffic-less roads, I liked and enjoyed it all. I found the slogan “Apni Raahen Apni Azaadi” superb. Ohh I also overheard that Actor Hrithik Roshan came for a few minutes for some shoot here. Though I was unable to verify anything like this. Finally, I was feeling happy, gay and alive. Literally I thanked myself for providing my soul this refreshing experience. After all I deliberately ignored my friends and though a hard choice between a cozy winter morning sleep and a fitness event, i did sacrifice my sweet slumber to finally know "Raahgiri" was worth it and way more fun!

After coming back to home, I googled about Times of India’s “Raahgiri Day”. And I got to know these things about it.

Started in Gurgaon on November 17, 2013, “Raahgiri Day” is India’s first sustained car-free citizen program. It is a weekly street event with an objective to offer its people an opportunity to connect with their society, reclaim their streets and as a result reclaim their lives and happiness. Streets are being used for a wide range of recreational activities to promote healthy living by encouraging an active lifestyle. The event takes place on all Sundays.

From the word “Raahgiri”, it gets obvious that the event is about taking charge of your own way, journey and life. Allegedly this concept is inspired by “Ciclovia” held weekly in Bagota, Columbia and now popular all over the world known by many different names. By whatever name or term we describe this event; one thing is sure that its mystic appeal has an amazing sense of curiosity and an ability to connect with people, children and youth. So guys come out from your comfort zone, push your limits a little more and be a part of this event. :)

From Neemrana to Nirvana

Gone are the days when we used to think that “food, cloth and shelter” were the only things for a good living. “All we need is love” is a lie too. Sadly it’s true… High time to dump these age old ways of thinking, that’s passé guys. Be happy, proactive and alive by adding a bit of shopping, good food, recreational activities, gadgets and hang outs to your life. Trust me, a dab of love; food and travelling always works the best. With these things there is a sense of satisfaction assured. Especially with travel (my favourite). Wink! 

"Travelling is my drug of choice„ "One day I’ll travel the whole world". Hahaha.. I so use such quotes while posting/changing my pictures on Facebook and Whatsapp. Seriously, no matter how low I feel at a particular hour of a day, but when it comes to gratify my lust for travel and adventure, I’m always game for it. Let me confess I’m too sporadic with anything and everything barring my roaming streak. I swear my phone costs me more for my roaming charges. Lol.

Okay… Absolutely coming back to the point. Well much to your surprise, I was suffering from low esteem issues that I couldn't do Flying Fox zipping unlike few of my friends. Urgh!! And I was trying so hard to make this program possible since ages but all my efforts got wasted. Then I decided to keep these efforts at bay. But few days back, I got this chance to visit Neemrana and experience the eagerly awaited zip tour thanks to a friend’s birthday. Yay yay!!

Friends, you won’t believe but this plan was a perfectly unplanned one. In the midst of our birthday celebration discussion, as always, I suggested trying something different and that was this zipping idea. Ting! All got convinced in no time and I made my hay while sun was shining. Grin… Being a Delhiite, it was just a matter of 2-2.5 hours road travel to reach Neemrana Fort Palace and to enjoy this zip tour positioned on an outcrop of the Aravalli hill range. For me, it was an ecstatic escape from the mundane work, the capital and its noise for a day. This excursion cum adventure mind-bogglingly fed my hungry travel & adventurous buds.

Before starting this herculean task, what was keeping me mentally occupied apart from enthusiasm was my apprehension. With butterflies in my stomach, I was taking zip training with safety briefing. All mixed emotions were then my food for thought. Needless to say, some hiking was also involved with this exhilarating adventure.

Believe me; once I started zipping there was no room left for fear. With each passing zip wire, there was only an awesome, fearless and safe experience behind. This tour of five zip wires took me high over the Aravalli Mountains of Rajasthan with superlative views of 15th Century Neemrana Fort Palace. With a smile on my face, I shouted “ta da” as I finished this thrilling aerial tour. Yippie finally I did it!!

Well, combined with a mind-blowing location, striking views and International safety standards, this aerial adventure really was overwhelming. So, in short yes, the experience was beautiful. With a group of 12 people, this tour took approximately 2 hours. The trainers and staff of Flying Fox were exceptionally good.

With this zip wire adventure, Neemrana Fort Palace had also some more thrilling activities, amazing views and delectable food to offer. Sans forgetting, let me tell you that except zipping, I enjoyed the amazing view of Rajasthan sunset too from the terrace of the fort palace with a cup of tea. And that was the time which actually motivated me to share my experience with all of you through this blog.

So friends, I think if you stay in Delhi or around Delhi and are looking for an adventurous day out of the city, then Flying Fox Neemrana is an apt destination for you. Now don’t listen to what i say, just go, see and create your own experience. Go go, give wings to your coming weekend. Ciao...

Splendid People in the Delhi Metro

For Delhiites, metro indeed is a comfortable and efficient mode of public transport but for commuters like me, who spend almost three hours to and fro from work, it’s the biggest travel one has done so far. No doubt, the transport offers you a convenient and fast ride cutting the traffic-choked city but nowadays it has become a fun-filled ride for people who maintain to adorn a beautiful smile on their face after a long tiring day at work.

Taking you for a voyage, to savor every bit of Delhi and NCR for that matter, metro turns out to be a jading ride for those who have to travel long. Devoting so much time to the metro and observing people around, I have managed to discover some of the categories these commuters fall into.

Me First - One can witness a glut of people who are so full of themselves, not only do they want to be the first one to enter the metro but the first ones to exit as well. Out of all the vacant space near the aisle, they choose best to stand right in front of the doors. These travelers, without paying any heed to the constant announcements made during the journey, almost manage to block people who want to board and de-board the train.

Corner Crackers - Even before the doors get opened for people to enter, their target is set. ‘That is where I am going to sit’ is what the first thing that comes to their mind, while peeping in from the window of the metro. Despite scuffling hard for a seat all they are able to fetch for themselves is a corner near the doors. Satiated with their share of possession to laze on, they at times succeed in taking a nap leaning there too.

Unaffected Ones - A few are those who are so busy banging their head listening to the ardent music on their gadgets that they miss-out on a heated argument between two of the commuters sitting right in front of them. Usually such people go un-noticed unless they themselves give others an opportunity to notice them. Sometimes it is the loud music which can be heard by the fellow passengers from their hands-free or people bellowing on their phones, loud enough to be heard in the adjacent compartments.

Staring Masters - Not only do guys but many women play chiefly in making the fellow commuters uncomfortable with a simple stare. These people are so perfect with the act that they make the person conscious and start flicking through themselves if everything is in place. Guys are often seen crossing the boundary set for them beyond the general coach and if that is not feasible their intense gaze is enough to make a couple or girls standing nearby feel uneasy.

Free-to-do anything - Almost every day you come across several of the kind who are the rulers of this public transport. Putting all the rules at stake, breaking queues and pushing the guards as and when the metro arrives is the trend these people follow. All that which has to be followed as per the rules is what these commuters tend not to follow. Whether it is about throwing garbage around, leaning on the doors or walking out of the queue, they violate them all.

Smell-so-good - An interesting category of people whom you across in metro are those who ditch their deodorants in summers and are superb in making the passengers uncomfortable with their bad body odor and sweaty clothes. Despite some of them belonging to a refined class of people, personal hygiene is what these people fail to maintain. These are people who you hate secretly and can’t do anything more than throwing at them strange and annoyed looks.

And lastly, very few are the Hopeful Travelers, generally like you and me who board and de-board metro twice or thrice to reach their desired destination wishing there was one direct metro to their home. With the hope that with the advancement in technology, Delhi metro serving people for over 11 years will run a metro line running directly to their place, offering them a more comfortable and smooth ride.

Well this is what I have seen and experienced while traveling in the metro. If you have anything to share, please do write your experience or comment. I would like to listen you all.

Traditional Art Forms Sustaining Poor in the City

Her heartfelt smile invited me to start a chitchat session. But it was her sheer talent at her job that left me flabbergasted. I saw her at Dilli Haat where she sells self-made Papier Mache art-pieces. From attractive utility items like pen stands, paper weights, envelopes boxes and jewelry boxes to decorative artifacts like animal and bird figures, she has a wide range of products.

Originally from Bihar, Puneeta Devi resides in Delhi to earn her livelihood. She moved to Delhi in order to support her family financially and now it’s been more than 15 years. Her family including four kids and a husband are also involved in the business. Her children assist her backstage in making art-pieces. At Dilli Haat, famous for its traditional artwork, she works with her brother who has his own shop of Madhubani paintings. Although she sells her stuff here but her random business visits to ongoing art fairs in and around Delhi help her fetch some more clients. While talking to her further, I could feel her pain in trying to make ends meet every day. She told that Papier Mache is a less recognized art in India and there are times when she sells nothing.

For many of us who don’t know about Papier Mache, here comes the basic information of its meaning and origin. 

Papier Mache or Paper Mache is a French word meaning “mashed or chewed paper”. It is a composite material consisting of soft paper pieces, hardened with textiles, bound with an adhesive, such as starch or glue.

Papier Mache as an art form originated during 105 A.D from China; the inventors of paper itself. According to studies, they used Papier Mache to make helmets of all things, which they toughened by many layers of lacquer. From China, the interest in the art passed on to Japan and Persia, where it was used in mask-making and festival activities before it eventually spread across the globe.

Undoubtedly the Moguls contributed a lot to Indian art, but one of their greatest contributions was to introduce Papier Mache to Indian craftsmen. This art was greatly favored by Mogul emperors who came from Central Asia in the 15th and 16th century and ruled India for almost 200-300 years.

After much evolution, today, it has become extremely stylized with the use of real gold and silver paint and by the addition of intricate decorations. The designs of Kashmiri Papier Mache, generally in the form of flowers and birds, have a strong Persian flavor. The Papier Mache artifacts are usually made in every Indian village but that of Bihar are famous, in particular, due to its painting style. Artisans of Bihar make beautiful crafts with colourful paintings on them. The most interesting fact about the art form is that it is considered as a great recycle craft and serves as good means of business for many poor and landless people across India.

10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ZARA

1- ZARA is a Spanish clothing and accessories retailer. Founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega and Rosalía Mera, the brand rapidly became a leader in Spanish fashion. Today it is one of Spain’s most popular clothing brands and its stores can be found all over the world.

2- Amancio Ortega, the owner of ZARA is the richest person in Spain and the second richest person in all of Europe. In March 2014, Amancio Ortega was ranked as the third richest person in the world by Forbes with a net worth of USD $64 billion. Strangely Ortega has never given a public interview, and in contrast to his work in the world of fashion is generally seen in a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt.

3- The brand’s name was actually a fluke. Reportedly it had to be “Zorba” but due to some copyright issues, it could not happen. Declining pricey new moulds, a new name had to come from those already cast. Paradoxically, Spain is the only country in which ZARA is pronounced not “Zah-rah”, but “Tha-ra.”

4- With little to no advertising, ZARA has managed to become a multi-billion dollar brand. The company spends almost nothing on advertising and gives preference to invest a percentage of revenues in opening new stores instead. The little it spends goes to strengthen its identity as a clothing retailer; low-cost but high fashion. It does not even engage in showy promotions. But yes, the brand invests lavishly in the beauty, historical appeal and location of its stores.

5- The first online boutique for ZARA was launched by Inditex on September 6, 2010. The website started catering its online services in Spain, the UK, Portugal, Italy, Germany and France—six countries that were among the then most important of the company’s 76 markets.

6- Amazingly the brand requires just 2 weeks to develop a new product and get it to stores, compared to the six-month industry average, and launches around 10,000 new designs each year. The success of the brand also lies in the fact that it produces where it sells. This attains short lead times for new fashion ideas.

7- At the headquarters in Spain, sales of each piece are watched, designers make new things according to the sales, and window displays are created on a mock storefront that is on a life-size street. Interestingly design collections are created by creative teams rather than groups of designers.

8- New collections are brought into the stores twice a week, and since there are not many of each item, it makes them appear exclusive.

9- Each collection of ZARA often sells out. The company strategically opens stores in heavily trafficked, high-end retail areas where a sense for style is sharpen and wallets are wide open. 

10- The most astonishing fact about ZARA is that the brand has managed to win over the fashionistas as well as the masses. From Hollywood to Bollywood, the brand is loved by all. Moreover Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge also has a strong inclination towards the brand. Kate Middleton has been recognized frequently in using ZARA. Interestingly the day after her wedding to Prince William, Kate stepped out in a cornflower blue, pleated polyester £49.99 ZARA dress. This proves that ZARA is one of Middleton’s options for performing the best fashionable look.