Sad news out of Zara yesterday when it was announced that the brand's co-founder, 69-year-old Rosalia Mera has passed away.
According to reports, Mera suffered a stroke while on holiday in Menorca, and was flown back home to the Spanish mainland, where she died the next day. Obviously, this is a huge loss for both the fashion community and the world, considering Mera left school at age 11 before building Inditex in the 1960s with her now-ex-husband. Inditex, of course, is the company that owns Zara (which opened in 1975) — as well as the Massimo Dutti and Bershka brands.
Because of those endeavours, Mera became the richest woman in Spain (self-made woman, thank you very much), placing at #54 on Forbes Power List in 2012, and also living as an incredible inspiration.
"Rosalia Mera had a rags to riches backstory, and that seems to have shaped her belief that the money of millionaires or even billionaires like her, should not be flaunted," said BBC's Bob Sturridge.
Mera was notoriously private, and rarely gave interviews. However, her influence has not been overlooked.
"The Intidex Group is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Rosalia Mera," the company said in a public statement. "The Group wishes to send its sincere condolences to her loved ones and friends at this extremely difficult time, after the loss of a person who contributed so much to the origins and development of the country."
We can all learn a lot from her.
