The World's Largest Apparel Retailer Is Experimenting With In-Store Customization

Customization is all the rage right now. Nutella has tossed its hazelnut-coated hat into the personalization ring, and Disney started offering some print-on-demand custom merchandise options through its e-commerce site. Now it looks like the Spanish fast fashion brand Zara, whose parent company Inditex is the world's largest apparel retailer, is stepping up to the customization scene.

According to Reuters, Zara will launch pop-up customization corners in three stores in Amsterdam, Barcelona and Milan. The corners will allow customers to embroider names on their new Zara denim—a service offered on 13 different denim styles, including shorts and jackets.

The service will begin starting March 27, and it will be available in those markets for delivery and in-store pick-up at first.

Customization seems to be the next hot thing in apparel. Nike has been king of the personalization game for awhile now with its Sneaker Bar, which enables shoppers to customize their new sneakers. And if Nike does it, it's usually a good sign that it's an in-demand feature.

Clothing retailer Madewell has also celebrated store launches and new apparel drops by giving in-store shoppers custom embroidery experiences. It has even gone so far as to offer custom leather embossing.

These days, shoppers want to be unique. Offering custom embroidery and screen-printing on their favorite apparel goods is a great way to give customers exactly what they want, and make them feel special. The personalization trend is great news for promotional apparel suppliers and distributors, of course, especially as mass customization becomes more accessible.