Marta Ortega, surprise guest at Bad Bunny's 'La Casita' in Madrid

Madrid – Clearing up any lingering doubts about the strategic nature of the collaboration between Inditex and Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny, Marta Ortega was spotted among the 'VIP' guests at the artist's first concert in Madrid this Saturday, May 30. The partnership is an attempt to reactivate the flagging growth of Zara, its main fashion chain. Ortega is the non-executive chairwoman of the Spanish fashion multinational. Her presence, which did not go unnoticed, came just four days before the company is due to present its first results for the 2026 financial year.

As FashionUnited highlighted just under a week ago, one of the most interesting questions at the start of this financial year is the extent to which the Spanish company is succeeding in reviving Zara's growth. The company's main fashion chain is using high-profile activations with both short and medium-to-long term goals, through its partnerships with Bad Bunny and designer John Galliano, respectively. It is hoped that the first quarter 2026 turnover figures, which the company will present this Wednesday, June 3, will shed some light on this issue. However, more detail is expected from Inditex's first-half accounts, scheduled for release on September 9.

In this context, and following various activations with the Puerto Rican singer at the start of the year, Saturday saw the first of ten Bad Bunny concerts in Madrid. Zara dressed him for his highly publicised performance on February 8 during the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show; for his attendance at the Met Gala on May 4; and launched a first collaborative capsule collection with him at the end of last month. The concerts in the Spanish capital will run from May 30 to June 15. All performances will take place at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, following shows in Barcelona on May 22 and 23, as part of his 'Debí tirar más fotos World Tour'. There was already great anticipation about which well-known figures the Puerto Rican singer would invite to enjoy his concerts from 'La Casita'. This is a second stage that recreates a typical Puerto Rican house. From there, as seen during the Super Bowl show, the singer performs each concert surrounded by 'VIP' guests. These guests include both famous faces and anonymous members of the public chosen by Bad Bunny's team. This mix of profiles is both poetic and inspiring, prompting reflection on the nature of social relevance, who is considered important, and who makes that distinction. To some surprise, Marta Ortega, daughter of Amancio Ortega and chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Inditex, was among them.

'Hidden' asset for Inditex and Zara?

Even with the clear collaborative relationship between Bad Bunny, Zara, and Inditex since the beginning of the year, it was certainly striking to see the chairwoman of the Spanish fashion multinational on stage at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. As non-executive chairwoman and ultimately head of its Board of Directors, she was one of the well-known guests at the singer's first 'casita' in Madrid. This presence contrasts sharply with the expected behaviour of a chairman of a major Ibex 35 listed company. Such profiles are typically more inclined to shield themselves from the risks of excessive public exposure, which can place too much focus on their personal lives.

Aware of these dangers, we can clearly see an evolution in how Marta Ortega has managed her public image in recent years. This has been particularly evident since her appointment as non-executive chairwoman of Inditex, a position she has held since April 1, 2022. Before this date, Amancio Ortega's youngest daughter had maintained a relatively low profile. A notable exception was her wedding to Carlos Torretta, for which she wore a Valentino Haute Couture gown designed exclusively for her by Pier Paolo Piccioli. In parallel with her appointment, she began to strengthen her public image by organising a retrospective of Peter Lindbergh's work in A Coruña in February 2022. This exhibition laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation (MOP Foundation), which has since grown its influence as a cultural driver in the city of A Coruña.

The creation of this foundation and the implementation of its various cultural programmes were in line with what would be expected from the chairwoman of a fashion multinational like Inditex. At the same time, however, Marta Ortega seems to have become an additional asset for the company. This began to be highlighted with her attendance as a guest at the high-profile Dior show in Seville in June 2022. The then non-executive chairwoman of Inditex attended the presentation wearing an original and exclusive creation made for her by the Zara team. Just over a month later, this design was presented as a key piece in the fashion chain's new 'Atelier' collection line. Following a controversy, the line was discontinued after the capsule launched in December 2023. This left a void that the chain has since filled with its 'Into the Process' line, introduced in September 2024.

Alongside Ester Expósito and Chiara Ferragni, dressed in 'Benito Antonio x Zara'

Marta Ortega seems to be consolidating her role as a 'hidden' asset for Inditex and Zara. This approach starkly contrasts with the discreet anonymity her father, Amancio Ortega, has maintained throughout his career. One of the clearest moments of the new public relevance being acquired by the chairwoman of the Spanish fashion giant was her debut as a guest at the last Met Gala. She attended the premier fashion event of the year with her husband, wearing a creation designed exclusively for her by John Galliano. As we noted, Bad Bunny attended the same event in a total look by Zara, and American singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks wore the first design by John Galliano for Zara. In any case, Ortega's presence was particularly noteworthy. Just as at the Dior show in Seville, her attendance once again blurred the lines between her private life, her representative duties for Inditex, and commercial activation.

If her grand public debut among fashion's elite was already a topic of discussion, we now have this public overexposure less than a month later. Marta Ortega starred as one of the guests at Bad Bunny's 'La Casita' during his debut concert in Madrid this past Saturday, May 30. During the concert, the chairwoman of Inditex's board was seen dancing closely with the Puerto Rican singer. They were on a stage that also hosted other well-known Spanish and international social and artistic figures, such as actresses Ester Expósito and María León, and Italian influencer and former Tod's board member, Chiara Ferragni. From this stage, Ortega once again blurred the boundaries between her private life and her public profile as chairwoman of Inditex.

This was once again highlighted, of course, through fashion. Specifically, it was evident in the outfit that the daughter of Amancio Ortega and Flora Pérez wore to the concert. It consisted, as one might expect, of a total look from the capsule collection created with the Puerto Rican singer. From the 'Benito Antonio x Zara' collection, the Inditex chairwoman wore fluid sea green trousers (49.95 euros) and a multicoloured 'slim cropped' T-shirt. The T-shirt featured a sea blue body, dusty red sleeves, and a round neck with grass green ribbed trim (25.95 euros).