Zalando Finally Answers the Age-Old Question, ‘What Do I Wear?’

The fashion girlies and boys get it – picking something to wear is not always an easy decision.

We also know the power of a good outfit – and the crushing weight of a bad one.

Each occasion calls for something different. The options are limitless. The pressure, insurmountable.

“What do I wear?” is an age-old question. And it's one I ask myself AT LEAST 4 times a week.

That question also happens to be the central theme for Zalando’s AW24 campaign. Through the campaign, the brand hopes to inspire people to embrace their uniqueness through their wardrobe choices.

Based on the everyday setting of the metro station, the campaign features six films. Each film addresses the universal daily dilemma of what to wear. And it's a theme that resonates with us all, regardless of age, location, gender or background. Zalando showcases this commonality through its lush, star-studded casting.

The campaign features models and creators such as Luka Sabbat, Briggitte Nielsen, and Sabrina Bahsoon (or #TubeGirl as we all know her). My personal fave addition is Willem Dafoe, who has become an accidental fashion icon and internet favourite in recent years.

It's clear that this diverse cast emphasises inclusivity and the varied needs of fashion consumers, i.e. Zalando’s customer base.

The campaign is the expression of Zalando’s new brand positioning – which centres around the idea of style confidence.

It aims to show us how the brand simplifies fashion choices, solving the challenge of finding something to wear. Zalando inspires each person to find confidence in their style by offering an array of quality options.

Wait, back up. What is Zalando?

Founded in 2008 in Berlin, Zalando is an online fashion and lifestyle platform. The brand offers everything from shoes, to apparel, accessories, and beauty products.

And now, Zalando has decided to take a pivotal step with this recent repositioning.

Their refreshed brand identity showcases a vibrant orange colour scheme. They've also rolled out a modernised wordmark and custom font designed to improve accessibility.

In addition to visual changes, Zalando debuted a new feature within its 'Stories' platform. Now, customers can explore fashion through the tastes and perspectives of their favorite icons – like those featured in the campaign.

The ability for consumers to engage with the shopping experience through those that inspire them makes Zalando an elevated platform for fashion enthusiasts.

The approach is based on extensive research that highlights what matters most to Zalando’s customers. Their audience wants high-quality clothing and a sense of community. The platform also helps them stay ahead of trends and access inspiring content.

'The changes we present today go beyond a mere visual update. Building on the strong brand equity and awareness that Zalando has developed over the years, we are evolving our brand to play a greater role in our customers’ lives,' says Anne Pascual, Senior VP of Design, Marketing and Content at Zalando.

'What Do I Wear' will now serve as the foundation for future campaigns.

With 15 years of skin in the game, Zalando's repositioning reminds us that it’s never too late to teach an old dog new tricks.

What's perhaps most surprising is the brand pulled in over $10 billion in revenue last year. For many, this would be a sign that things are working fine without a brand overhaul. But Zalando had a vision of looking beyond revenue to focus more on becoming a habitual part of customers' lives.

This was not just a repositioning, it was a brand evolution.

And it's an evolution that highlights the importance of growth if we want to push the needle forward the way Zalando is.

-Sophie, Writer