INDITEX’S cheap-and-cheerful basic clothing firm Lefties has just begun trading online – from Thursday (September 3), adding to the long list of the fashion empire’s brands that can be bought and delivered to customers’ homes.
Lefties is similar in terms of prices and styles to the Irish budget chain Primark or the pan-European C&A, differentiating it from the better-known brands which have more of a ‘fashion’ focus.
The best-known Inditex label worldwide is Zara, which specialises in cheap, good-quality and colourful classics tailored for a smaller figure and younger look – one of the favourite go-to stores of Queen Letizia, Duchess of Cambridge Catherine Middleton, and footballer’s wife and TV sports reporter Sara Carbonero, who cause items to sell out in minutes whenever they are seen wearing them.
A more generous fit, but still catering to small sizes, and with a more mature, demure and elegant air is Massimo Dutti, one of two mid-upper high-street ranges along with Uterqüe, whose prices and ranges suit shoppers who want glamour and quality at prices below those of designer labels but do not need to shop low-cost.
Bershka, Zara’s ‘younger sister’, appeals to teens and very young adults shopping on their pocket money, as does Stradivarius, which has a more ‘rock-chick’ feel to it, and Pull&Bear, which appeals to a similar audience but with the focus on streetwear, urban wear and casuals.
Oysho is a practical-but-attractive low-cost underwear label, and Zara Home is a mid-upper high-street interiors chain popular with those who want to spend a little more for something stylish and unique rather than merely practical.
Lefties, though, is not so widespread – few physical branches are on the high street and only a handful in shopping centres, but its ranges suit adults of any age, male and female, who want to spend as little as possible and are mainly seeking functional items, and also includes cheap children’s and baby clothes.
At present, it only has 169 stores worldwide, in Spain and eight other countries – Portugal, Russia, México, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates (in Dubai).
During the lockdown, Lefties launched a click-and-collect service to enable customers to continue buying, although during the weeks when nobody was allowed to leave their towns or travel further than a kilometre away for non-essentials, it remained out of bounds.
Finally, Inditex opted to include Lefties in its online shopping network, meaning deliveries can now be made directly to customers’ homes.
Shipping costs are not yet known, since the website remains ‘under construction’ until September 3, but are likely to be low or even free above a certain purchase amount.