H&M has been around for a long while now and most of the people reading this blog basically grew up wearing this brand. The brand was founded in 1947 by Erling Persson in Sweden.
At first, the brand was named Hennes which is a Swedish word that means “hers” since the brand only sold women’s wear at first.
In 1968 the founder of the brand changed the name of the label to Hennes & Mauritz, which was an indication of including the men’s wear collection in the store.
The name Mauritz was derived from the hunting apparel brand called Mauritz Widforss which was also in the possession of Hennes’s founder.
Soon after this merger, the brand name was shortened to H&M and then it started to expand globally beyond Swedish borders.
The first-ever international branch of this brand was opened in Norway and also in Denmark and the United States. In 1973 the brand introduced an intimate collection and underwear that was also a huge success among the public.
After the founder handed over the company to his son in 1982, Steffan Persson, the brand started expanding in the European continent.
By the time the 1990s happened, the brand had already generated enough buzz and a huge fan base and following among the public.
At this point, the brand was confident enough to have supermodels at the time be a part of H&M advertisements and campaigns for different collections.
You could always find many billboards and posters by the brand on busy highways with high-end but casual wear clothing being endorsed by top models.
This was also the time when the internet was really picking up in the fashion industry and H&M took complete advantage of it.
By 1998, H&M also introduced an online store for every kind of clothing from where you could shop and get the clothes delivered to your doorstep.
The expansion and evolution of the brand were really at the top when it opened its first-ever non-European store in New York on Fifth Avenue.
This store was in the midst of the high-end luxury brands and was definitely in competition.
Unlike other brands that try to compete with the high-end luxury brands, H&M was pretty strategic and smart about its moves in the fashion world.
Instead of competing, the brand decided to have successful collaborations with these brands that would benefit all in the fashion industry.
In 2004 this was made possible when H&M collaborated with German designer Karl Lagerfeld who was the designer for Fendi & Chanel at the time and not to mention his own Luxury Brand.
The goal behind these high-end collaborations was to introduce high fashion and statement pieces at high quality but at H&M prices. This was the perfect step for this brand since people love to own something designer but with affordability and H&M saved the day for all.
Table Of Contents
Is H&M A Luxury Brand?
H&M is definitely not a luxury brand but there are sections that are comparatively more expensive than the rest of the collection at the store.
And we are talking about the designer and high-end label collaborations that are exclusive and are slightly more expensive.
These collections are still affordable as compared to the luxury brands out there.
Is H&M Considered Branded?
Since the brand is known to collaborate with designers and high-end brands, some of the exclusive collections here are considered branded. After Lagerfeld, H&M collaborated with many other famous designers like Donatella Versace, Alexander Wang, Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli, and many other names of high stature.
The brand has also tapped into the Asian market and has definitely mass-produced a lot of clothing collections for both men and women. Is it considered fast fashion? Yes, but unlike popular opinion, the quality of this brand has not been compromised so far.
Which One Is Better – H&M Or Zara?
H&M is much more affordable than Zara and it has much more to offer than the latter one. The collection here can be cluttered at Zara, but at H&M you can find a proper collection for everything needed for your wardrobe.
According to some reviews online, Zara has much better quality than H&M even though it is a bit pricey.
So it mainly depends on your personal choice and pocket for which brand you want to go for.
Is H&M More Expensive Than Zara?
H&M is not more expensive than Zara although there are exclusives that are a bit pricey. The fact that Zara is a bit expensive is because of the quality that is superior as compared to H&M according to some people.
Other than conquering the casual wear industry, H&M has also founded the H&M foundation that aims to empower developing nations around the world. This is a non-profit that tries to implement positive changes around the world and provide help where needed.
The goal is to empower women, provide educational opportunities for children, preserve the environment, and spread awareness about being more eco-conscious. This is funded by the Persson family as a private organization.
H&M is the second-largest fashion retailer that is all about trendy fashion and style for everyone who lives and loves to shop affordably.
You can see high-end brands coming up with popular and unique designs but if you feel like you can’t afford them, H&M is always an available option for you. You can shop from any part of the world at physical stores or online right now!
