Stradivarius: The Cheaper Zara Americans Can't Have

At the Stradivarius store in central Madrid, crowds of shoppers navigate their way through racks of woolen jerseys, T-shirts, and capes. Most of the clothes are piled on faded white wooden shelves. Handbags and earrings sit on iron structures, glistening in the bright light. Mannequins are sparse. There's lots of wood, bricks, and mirrors, some bearing the Stradivarius logo—a treble clef. Sister brand to Zara, the store looks luxe and chic, despite the low prices. The style is a trademark of parent company Inditex's brands.

Founded in Barcelona in 1994, Stradivarius has grown into a fashion empire. It has around 900 stores in 60 countries and flagships in such fashion centers as Paris, London, and Milan. It racks up more sales than American Apparel, having hit the $1.1 billion mark in 2013. Stradivarius boasts more stores than Abercrombie & Fitch and J. Crew combined, and it has locations in more countries than Gap. The notable exception? The U.S.