“H&M History

In 1947 Hennes women’s clothing store opened in Västerås, Sweden. Today the H&M Group offers fashion for everyone under the brands of H&M, COS, Monki, Weekday, Cheap Monday and & Other Stories, as well as fashion for the home at H&M Home.

1947

The first store opens in Västerås, Sweden, selling women’s clothing. The store is called Hennes.

1952

Hennes opens in Stockholm.

1964

The first store outside Sweden opens in Norway.

1968

Founder Erling Persson buys Mauritz Widforss, a hunting and fishing equipment store. Sales of men’s and children’s clothing begin. The name is changed to Hennes & Mauritz.

1974

H&M is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

1976

The first store outside Scandinavia opens in London, in the UK.

1977

Impuls stores, focused on teenagers, are launched. Sales of cosmetics begin.

1980s

Stores open in Germany and the Netherlands. H&M acquires the mail order company Rowells.

1990s

Progress continues in Europe with the opening of the first store in France in 1998. Newspaper and magazine advertising is complemented by outdoor advertising featuring famous models. In 1998 H&M online shopping begins.

2000

The first US store opens on Fifth Avenue in New York. The same year stores open in Spain. In subsequent years, H&M opens in more European markets.

2004

H&M initiates designer collaborations starting with Karl Lagerfeld. More collaborations follow with Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Madonna, Roberto Cavalli, Comme des Garçons, Matthew Williamson, Jimmy Choo, Sonia Rykiel, Lanvin, Versace, Marni, David Beckham, Anna Dello Russo, Maison Martin Margiela and Isabel Marant.

2006

A major expansion of online and catalogue sales begins with the Netherlands as the first market outside the Nordic region. The first stores in the Middle East open via franchise.

2007

The first Asian stores open in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In the same year, the new concept store COS is launched. The expansion of online and catalogue sales continues with the inclusion of Germany and Austria.

2008

H&M opens its first Japanese store in Tokyo and acquires fashion firm FaBric Scandinavien AB, which comprises the brands Weekday, Monki and Cheap Monday.

2009

The first H&M stores in Russia open. Beijing also gets its first H&M and Lebanon becomes a new franchise market. H&M Home is launched. Weekday and Monki open in Germany.

2010

The first H&M stores in South Korea and Turkey open. Israel becomes a new franchise market. Online shopping starts in the UK. The first H&M Home stores open outside Sweden. Monki moves into Asia with a store in Hong Kong. H&M becomes the world’s largest consumer of organic cotton and continues to increase its use of sustainable materials in the following years.

2011

H&M opens in Romania, Croatia and Singapore, as well as via franchise in Morocco and Jordan. COS opens in Sweden, and Monki and Cheap Monday in the UK. The H&M Incentive Program – a reward and recognition programme for all employees – starts. COS and Monki launch online shopping in 18 markets.

2012

H&M opens in Bulgaria, Latvia, Malaysia and Mexico, and via franchise in Thailand. COS opens in Finland, Italy, Poland, Hong Kong and Austria, and opens via franchise in Kuwait. The Monki brand grows in China and Weekday opens in the Netherlands.

2013

The first H&M store in the southern hemisphere opens in Chile. H&M also opens in Estonia, Lithuania and Serbia. Indonesia becomes a new franchise market. H&M introduces online shopping in the US. The & Other Stories brand is launched in several European countries. COS, Monki, Weekday and Cheap Monday also open in new markets. Weekday and Cheap Monday launches online shopping. A global clothing collecting initiative starts in selected stores.”