On April 3, 2023, ZARINA, the first brand to enter the Melon Fashion Group portfolio, turned 30. Its history as the first women’s brand in Russia started in St Petersburg at the sewing factory Pervomayskaya Zarya. Over the years, ZARINA became one of the leaders on the fashion market offering stylish clothes of good quality at affordable prices.
The story started in April 1993 from a small store in Drovyanaya street, next tp the production facilities in 10th Krasnoarmeyskaya street. Repairs, finishing, decoration and furniture in the store – everything was made with their own hands. Contrary to different speculations, the name of the brand was proposed by one of the seamstresses as a derivative from Zarya. ZARINA has become the first in many aspects: in the 90-s, it launched the first loyalty program, it has invited foreign designers for collaborations, conducted studies of women’s figures in order to find proper patterns. In the 2000-s, the brand began to apply progressive marketing approaches and involve celebrities and customers in advertising campaigns.
During many years, ZARINA ambassadors have been ladies whose style and standpoint meet the brand’s values. Among them, there were top models Natalia Vodyanova and Valentina Zelyaeva, actresses Natalia Oreiro, Ravshaha Kurkova, Ekaterina Varnava? Lubov Aksenova, prima ballerina Maria Abashova and many others. Apart from this, the brand continues the tradition to invite its customers to the brand promotion. In autumn 2022, the ZARINA advertizing campaign involved six customers selected from 4 000 participants of the #PowerisInUs” project.
Over the last 15 years, the number of the ZARINA brand stores has grown 3.5 times, and the brand revenues have increased by 16 times. As of today, ZARINA generates 31% of Melon Fashion Group’s total sales. In 2022, the brand became the leader in number of orders of women’s clothes at Wildberries. The loyalty program numbers more than 4.1 m active customers. Having started with 3 stores in April 1993, in April 2023, ZARINA has grown to 290 stores in 146 cities in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kirgizia.
In its jubilee year, the brand is planning a global expansion launching large-format stores of 1 000 sq m and more, as well as launch of the man’s line ZRNMAN among other steps. On the occasion of its jubilee, the brand has presented a site, devoted to the history of ZARINA.
Anna Mazurik, brand director of ZARINA:
"Over the past decades, fashion in Russia has undergone a serious transformation from the dream object to collections abounding in variety of styles, freedom of choice and comfortable shopping. We are proud that ZARINA stood at the very roots of Russian fashion industry. 30 years is a serious age. During these years, we have been changing concepts of our stores and collections several times, but one thing has always been at the core – style and love of our customers. We are full of power and enthusiasm to pursue its great history born in 1993 at the factory Pervomayskaya Zarya".