Zara and Cortado Surprise-Launch Their First Collaboration

The news that has half of Paris (and half of Spain) smiling with a coffee in hand is called Zara x Cortado. Yes, you read that right. The Spanish café based in the charming Le Marais district makes an unexpected leap into a collaboration with Zara, launching today and available online in multiple countries, including Spain. “It’s like big, big, big,” they shared from Cortado, with that mix of disbelief and excitement that comes when something that once felt far away suddenly becomes real. One of the founders even admitted he went to buy the collection at the very same Zara he used to visit as a child. It may sound like a small detail, but for them it marks a full-circle moment, looking back with genuine gratitude and repeating “thank you” as many times as necessary.

To understand why this partnership makes sense, you have to look at the essence of Cortado. Opened just over a year ago by Helena Martín and brothers Adrien and Tom Aymerich, the café has become a small Spanish haven in Paris — far from clichés and closer to the contemporary aesthetic seen in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Seville or Valencia. On the menu, speciality coffee sits alongside tostadas with tomato, proper jamón and even mussels in escabeche served over crisps, all wrapped in a fresh and highly recognisable visual identity. That energy — part neighbourhood spot, part foodie phenomenon — now translates into a collection with Zara that celebrates the very community that has turned Cortado from a charming café into a must-visit address.

And when it comes to iconic moments, it’s impossible not to mention Rosalía’s surprise visit a few months ago. After a year hoping she would walk through the door, it finally happened: the singer stopped by, signed the now-famous T-shirt that counted the days of waiting (371, to be precise) and ordered an oat latte while filming videos and taking photos with Helena and Tom. The scene further cemented Cortado as one of Le Marais’ go-to spots.

Now, with Zara x Cortado officially out in the world, the story enters a new chapter — proof that when the coffee is good and the attitude even better, things simply happen.

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