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Sofia Saavedra (25) filled the void left by Inditex in Venezuela. In addition, literally, since Covas, his small empire -compared to the Spanish giant-, is located in the same shopping center and the same store that previously bore the seal of Amancio Ortega. It was in May 2021 when Venezuelans were forced to give up the garments of Zara, Bershka and Pull & Bear. The tycoon Camilo Ibrahim Issa, related to the rescued airline Plus Ultra and close to the hierarchs of the regime of Nicolás Maduro, closed the franchises he controlled of Inditex.

The most important store that Zara had in Caracas was located in the most important shopping center in the city, the Sambil, which receives 16 million visitors a year. Since 2022, Covas, Sofia's brand that started selling beach hats and has now become one of the greatest exponents of Venezuelan fashion, takes its place. "If it weren't for Inditex leaving Venezuela, my company wouldn't have grown so much," she told LOC. Sofia's story also has another parallel with Zara. The young woman's family comes from Galicia, so her brand also has a Galician origin like Inditex. "My four grandparents are Galician, my parents too. My family arrived in Venezuela 50 years ago and have always traveled between the two countries. My grandparents on my father's side live in Ortigueira and my grandmother in Covas, hence the name of the brand. They still have their homes here in Venezuela."

The influence of her grandmothers has been key in Sofia's life. "They both had children's clothing stores and I grew up as a doll dressed in Spanish fashion. I always had Spanish dresses and shoes... That's where my inspiration comes from."

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The pandemic gave him the time and ability to focus on the Covas project, which today has two physical stores, sells online and plans to expand throughout the country. "I had started Covas in 2017 and sold beach hats. I set up a small shop at my grandmother's house and as it was a very informal business I decided to park it. As the pandemic arrived and I was in Venezuela I thought I had to invest my time in that project. I bought with 300 dollars fabric to make monkeys to be at home. In June 2020 I relaunched it and already in August I hired a person to help me. In October I took a place of 50 meters that was actually a shop, office, warehouse ... By December it had 3000 pieces in inventory. I didn't just do monkeys anymore but more things. On the 21st of that same month I sold every last piece."

Sofia is one of the examples of those Venezuelans who decide not to emigrate and seek opportunities in Venezuela, although she recognizes that there is no formula for success. "I always say that I am not a fashion designer but a very astute merchant who likes fashion. I do not make a very complicated dress but simple designs, fashion for everyone. We have focused on making sizes from XXXS to five XL. In Covas we all enter. I've focused a lot on that and I think that's what has given me the most popularity. Despite the crisis, we have made a great effort to reactivate national production. Right now I directly employ 46 people, more than 300 work with me indirectly. Always from my bench I will try to promote clothing and reactivate the private industry that was what was most lost during the crisis we are still experiencing."

As for the situation in Venezuela, Sofia points out that there is movement in the country's business sector. "I can't say that Venezuela was fixed because there is a lot left but I see many young people wanting to do things here, to invest ... Before, everyone wanted to leave. Now there are many who are coming back. Here the laws for entrepreneurs are wild, at the moment of going from entrepreneur to entrepreneur taxes give you a reality shock. "

Interior of one of the CovasCedida stores

Covas is aimed at a very small audience because the majority of the population can not afford it despite the fact that its prices are around 20, 30 and 40 dollars. For this reason, the businesswoman has launched Samos, another brand with which she intends to reach more people. "The store has three floors and is in La Candelaria, the Galician area. I managed to recover the property that belonged to my grandfather and settled it there. The idea is that I buy containers in China of balance clothes, from past collections and sell it for 2 and 5 dollars. I put it on the market for others to buy and sell, as a formula to help entrepreneurs. I will also sell to those who only want to buy a piece. Some say that I set up my own competition but it is not like that because Covas has no competition in its market segment."

Influencer and fan of Amancio Ortega

Sofía Saavedra considers that social networks are another tool of her work. "I try to make the content add value and not just show models." The businesswoman is a fan of Amancio Ortega, "a man from La Coruña, like my father." Saavedra admires his discretion and that he continues to live in Galicia despite the empire he has. "Little is known about Amancio because he is not a man to make documentaries. How many stories will he have, if they have happened to me and I am tiny by his side. The other day I was asked who I would talk to if I could and I said without hesitation Amancio. My husband said that with Bezos from Amazon and I: 'Are you crazy?' With Amancio, he's a genius."

  • Inditex Group
  • Amancio Ortega Gaona
  • Zara
  • Marta Ortega
  • Venezuela
  • Enterprises
  • Nicolas Maduro

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