Zalando Taps Lily Collins as Global Ambassador, Bets on Content to Keep Shoppers Scrolling

PARIS — European fashion platform Zalando has tapped Lily Collins as its first global brand ambassador, as the online retailer expands its entertainment and lifestyle positioning.

Collins, best known for Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” and her namesake character’s elaborate style, will front two major campaigns throughout the year, alongside editorial content and activations tied to key moments in the fashion calendar. The partnership will debut with Zalando’s spring 2026 campaign.

Collins, who has lived and worked across Europe — from Paris and Italy to London’s West End — brings what the company described as an “authentic” connection to European fashion culture. Known for blending haute couture with wardrobe staples, she will lend her personal take to Zalando’s platform message, “What Do I Wear?”

“For me, fashion represents much more than just clothing: It’s a way of expressing who I am at a given moment. I appreciate that my partnership with Zalando is rooted in this everyday question: ‘What do I wear?’ Far beyond major red-carpet occasions, it’s about feeling like yourself on a daily basis,” Collins said in a statement. “As Zalando’s first global ambassador, I look forward to exploring themes of individuality and self-confidence, and celebrating the diversity of styles across Europe.”

“ embodies confidence and creativity, and demonstrates a natural, instinctive flair for fashion. The aim of this year-long partnership is to celebrate our clothing choices every day, while reaffirming Zalando’s role as a trusted style adviser for our customers — from small everyday moments to the major life events,” added James Rothwell, Zalando’s senior vice president of marketing.

Collins’ appointment as a global ambassador highlights Zalando’s push to strengthen its platform identity as more than a transactional marketplace, investing in celebrity- and influencer-led storytelling to drive brand loyalty and engagement.

Last September, Zalando replaced its traditional homepage with an AI-powered discovery feed designed to keep users scrolling longer through personalized recommendations, creator content and campaign storytelling. The move builds on its broader “ecosystem strategy” launched in 2024, which splits the business between consumer-facing sales and a growing business-to-business and logistics arm, while harvesting customer data to deepen AI-driven personalization feeds.

Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando operates across 29 European markets, serving more than 61 million active customers through its Zalando and About You platforms, while also expanding its B2B e-commerce services arm.

As competition intensifies across European e-commerce, the group is pushing culture and content to differentiate its multibrand platform as a celebrity and style hub rather than simply an online shopping site.