Early Life
Amancio Ortega Gaona was born on March 28, 1936, in Busdongo de Arbas, León, Spain. He was the youngest of four children. Due to his father's job as a railway worker, the family moved to A Coruña when Amancio was 14. He left school and began working as a shop hand for a local shirtmaker, Gala, where he learned about clothing production.
Rise to Success
In 1963, Ortega started Confecciones Goa, a company that made bathrobes. In 1975, he and his then-wife, Rosalía Mera, opened the first Zara store in A Coruña. Zara quickly gained popularity for offering trendy clothes at affordable prices, which was a key strategy. In 1985, Industria de Diseño Textil S.A. (Inditex) was created as a holding company for Zara and its manufacturing plants. Inditex expanded internationally, with the first store outside of Spain opening in Porto, Portugal, in 1988.
Key Business Strategies
Ortega's business model focused on vertical integration, controlling design, manufacturing, and distribution to keep costs low and respond quickly to market demands. Zara implemented a fast-fashion model with frequent new collections, limiting advertising, and controlling much of its own supply chain. This innovative approach allowed Inditex to rapidly adapt to changing fashion trends.
Philanthropy
In 2001, Ortega established the Amancio Ortega Foundation, which primarily focuses on education and social welfare. The foundation has supported various initiatives, including scholarships for students to study in the U.S. and Canada. The foundation also donated $108 million in 2024 for flood aid in Valencia. In 2017, the foundation donated €320 million to public healthcare systems to combat cancer.
