NEW YORK, April 1^st, 2021 — 2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of STARTER, the iconic athletic brand established in 1971, owned by Iconix Brand Group. To mark the occasion, the STARTER brand has launched a partnership with Zara, part of the world renowned high street trailblazer Inditex Group, to develop and sell a capsule collection for Spring Summer 2021.

The STARTER brand quickly became one of the most innovative global sports brands in history by connecting fans with their favourite teams and players on a whole new level, pioneering the fusion of sports clothing with popular culture by forging partnerships with the major professional sports leagues, colleges, Olympic sports, and individual athletes.

The brand would grow to become a leading part of everyday sports fans’ lives representing authenticity and the opportunity to “wear what the pros wear”.

It all began with an iconic star logo and the idea that “Every athlete dreams of being a starting player.” But STARTER didn’t stop at athletes, extending across cultural lines, drawing influence from sport, music and pop culture. Key moments include Joe Torre of the New York Mets stepping out onto the field wearing the first authentic Starter satin jacket and in 1986 introducing the first NBA Championship Locker Room Tee-Shirt worn by the Boston Celtics.

STARTER was the first company to truly recognize that sport is more than ‘the team’; it’s a state-of-mind and a life-long bond, an idea that defined the brand’s heritage and still shapes it today as STARTER continues to produce iconic apparel that honours its heritage while emphasizing quality and style.

Daisy Laramy-Binks, Managing Director of Iconix Europe, said of the collaboration ‘I am delighted to see the iconic global Starter brand and the powerhouse that is Zara come together for this exciting partnership which will provide the Zara customer with a fashion-forward take on American heritage sportswear at its best.’ 

The multi-category collection for Spring/Summer 2021 to mark the 50th celebration will include pieces including women’s T-shirts, a vest dress, crop top, shorts, joggers, reversible bucket hat, and a bodysuit. The color story will encapsulate Spring Summer hues of pink, white and the STARTER brand’s signature blue, to give a contemporary sports-inspired look.

Zara has become a key fast fashion Highstreet retailer, with the parent company Inditex selling in 202 markets through its online platform or its over 7,000 stores in 96 markets, Zara has the highest store count of 2,118 across all of the Inditex brands. Nurturing a highly intimate relationship with its customers, Zara’s designers respond instinctively to their changing needs, reacting to the latest trends and constant feedback received across its Woman, Man and Kids’ collections, to deliver new ideas in the right place and at the right moment.

The collection is now available on Zara.com and in select stores Internationally (where permissible due to the lockdown restrictions).