Visual content and post-production guide

Visual identity and representation at Zalando strive to mirror and celebrate diversity in all its forms. The guidelines are directed towards maintaining authenticity and inclusivity in visual content across all Zalando platforms. This initiative is targeted at everyone involved in content creation.

Try to imagine how you would feel if you were the person in the image. How would you feel if you would edit the features you are about to remove or ‘improve’?

Put yourself in our customer’s shoes. How would you feel if you would see the content before and after retouching?

Ask yourself if you are solving something that matters for the article. Or are you stuck in a pattern of “because that’s how it’s always been done”?

Our image requirements vary depending on what they will be used for on our website. Please adhere to them to ensure smooth and efficient processing of your article images and thus the processing of your articles themselves.

Technical image requirements

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This overview is intended to introduce you to the technical requirements your images have to fulfil, in order to be accepted by Zalando.

Background colour range requirements

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Packshot views

For packshot views it's important to remember that primary packshots must have a white background. We do accept packshot view with colours from the background colour range, but these aren't allowed as primary packshots, but as additional view only.

To make sure your model view is suitable as a catalogue view, use our background colour range for a compliant background colour. We accept model views with a white background, but they cannot be used as the front crop.

For full image requirements, please refer to the general Zalando image guidelines.

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  Zalando image guidelines

  Comprehensive guide to Zalando's image requirements, including technical specifications, acceptable image types, and category-specific guidelines. You’ll also find best practice image examples from across assortments.

Our focus is on maintaining authenticity while improving image quality to meet Zalando’ standards and enhance customer experience. Make sure all visual content production and post-production align with these editing guidelines to improve image quality while preserving authenticity.

We want to celebrate diversity. 

In order to create authentic representation, we aim to keep what makes individuals themselves. Let’s broaden beauty standards.

The following characteristics do not require any retouching:

• Natural skin features

• Permanent skin conditions

• Birthmarks

• Hyperpigmentation and vitiligo

• Body hair

• Scars

• Stretch marks

• Acne

• Moles

• Skin texture (cellulite, wrinkles)

• Distinct hairline

• Diabetic patches

• Hearing aids

• Other medical devices

We want to focus on the customer. 

To create a customer-centric experience, we only want to make changes that enhance the image, not remove any beauty features. What we call ‘Soften and Match’ is a kind of retouch methodology that can tell you which areas should be adjusted but not removed. 

For transparent or missing clothing, intimate areas should have 50%-70% opacity. Talent may wear nipple covers matching the skin tone or clothing color.

While we embrace diversity, we do not support the promotion of harmful or negative themes.

Ensure your images are free from the kind of content found below and remove any problematic elements during post-production. This includes:

• Tattoos featuring weapons, sexualised imagery, or aggressive symbolism

• Models should appear healthy, so visible signs of extreme exhaustion are not permitted.

• Adult garments must be shown only on models visibly over 18 years of age.

• poses that suggest pornographic, objectifying, overtly sexualised or stereotypical intentions

• Political extremism messages on articles are strictly prohibited and should not be included in any submissions.

Examples of images which we do not allow: