The recent opening of Spanish fast-fashion brand Sfera at SM Makati’s second floor is doubly significant. Apart from opening its first standalone store in the Philippines, Sfera also makes its debut in the thriving Asia-Pacific market.

Sfera belongs to the El Corte Ingles group, the same Madrid-based company behind one of Europe’s biggest department store chains. People behind the brand believe they made the right move by choosing Manila as the location of Sfera’s first store in Asia.

The brand has 216 stores the world over. Aside from Spain and Portugal, it has considerable presence in Greece, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Peru.

Sfera’s SM store has something for everyone, including clothes, shoes and accessories for kids. Majority of the space is devoted to ladies’ dresses, accessories and separates, but the store also has a significant men’s section offering a wide selection of casual tops, jeans, accessories and office staples.

Ideal market

“We believe in the Philippines because it’s already a mature market for fast fashion,” says Guillermo Lopez, Sfera’s expansion manager in Asia.

“It’s an ideal market to test the waters in Asia. And if others like Zara, Mango, Uniqlo and Forever 21 have succeeded, then there’s no reason for us not to succeed.”

Lopez is unfazed by the competition. Not even the recent entry of H&M, the Swedish fast-fashion giant, worries him.

“Remember, we come from Spain where some of the most successful fast-fashion brands in the world originated,” he says. “If we can compete with them in Europe, we can compete with them here.”

What sets Sfera apart is its “fresher” approach to fashion. It focuses on “easy and contemporary” fashion, as opposed to mere fast fashion.

“Like all fast-fashion brands, we provide our stores with new items every week,” says Lopez. “You don’t get the entire collection, but you have something new to look forward to each week. That’s very important for our customers.”

Patricia Limcaoco, Sfera’s Filipino marketing manager, attests to the fact that Sfera develops its own collections. Its designers are based in Spain, but its partner manufacturers are spread far and wide across the globe.

“Compared to certain brands, Sfera’s clothes are very sophisticated and elegant,” she says. “It always puts a premium on quality and value for money. The clothes are trendy yet they look a bit minimalist and classic. With a bit of imagination, certain pieces can be easily mixed and matched and are meant to last.”

Best partner

Lopez, a native of Spain, feels lucky to have SM as his company’s Philippine partner. Sfera’s future in Asia, he believes, hinges a great deal on its initial success in the country.

“I think SM is the best partner we could have in this market,” he says. “They have the strength, knowledge, presence and experience. They have everything you could ask for in a

partner.”

Limcaoco declines to disclose the number of Sfera stores SM plans to open in the near future. But she lets us in on a secret.

“Since it’s almost Christmas, Sfera’s holiday collection is coming in November,” she says. “The stuff you see in the store right now is not yet the holiday collection. More items are coming.”