The company was established in 1947 by Erling Persson in Västerås, Sweden. At the time it only sold women's clothing and was called Hennes, Swedish for "hers".
In 1968, Persson acquired the premises and inventory of a Stockholm hunting-equipment store, Mauritz Widforss. Included in the inventory was a supply of men's clothing, prompting Persson to expand into menswear. Accordingly, he renamed the store Hennes & Mauritz, later abbreviated to H&M.
Erling's son Stefan became chief executive officer in 1990 and chairman of the board in 1998.
Today, the majority of the clothing is manufactured in Asia [4] including Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Pakistan and Turkey.
Map of H&M stores in the U.K. and Ireland, as of August 2011.Its first non-Swedish store was opened in Norway in 1964,[10] and from then onwards, the company embarked upon a major expansion program opening many further stores in Europe, including Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The first H&M store to open outside of Scandinavia was in the United Kingdom, in 1976[11]
In the 1990s, its first stores opened in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Spain. In Portugal the first store opened in 2003, in Chiado, Lisboa. The company has continued to expand its business and the company has an extensive network throughout much of Europe. Germany is the company's largest market (with 377 stores as of 2011), followed by the United Kingdom (with 192 stores as of 2011) and then Sweden (with 168 stores as of 2011).[11]
In Europe, online shopping is available in the Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands Austria and the UK.
Map of H&M stores in the U.S., as of August 2011.As of August 2010, the company had nearly two hundred individual stores in the United States.[citation needed]
It had opened its first U.S. store in New York City, on Fifth Avenue (at 51st Street) in March 2000; there are now[when?] nine additional stores in city's Manhattan borough alone.[citation needed]
On 18 March 2010, the company opened its first store in North Carolina at the Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh.[citation needed]
In October 2010, plans were announced for it to open its first Texas location in Dallas.[12] The Dallas store opened 19 August 2011 at the North Park Mall off of 75 in North Dallas. http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/H--M-store--128026228.html
The company opened in The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on 5 November 2010.[citation needed]
On 11 November 2010, it opened its first Oregon location at the Pioneer Place in Portland.[citation needed]
In 2011, H&M opened a flagship store in Denver, Colorado and also announced that it would open other locations in the Carolinas in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.[13]
Online Shopping
On 27 January 2011, H&M announced through its official Twitter account that there will be online shopping available to USA customers at the turn of 2011/2012.[citation needed]
The first Israeli store was opened in Tel Aviv in 2010, followed by five more stores across the country. More stores are expected to open, mainly in the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area.[14]
It expanded into East Asia in March 2007, with its first store opening in Central Hong Kong on 10 March 2007. Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue opened that store where she also exclusively launched her range of swimwear, "H&M loves Kylie".
The first location in Shanghai, China, was opened in 2007.[citation needed]
The first Japanese store was opened in Ginza on 13 September 2008, while a second store was opened in Harajuku in November 2008. Another store was opened in the Shibuya shopping district on 19 September 2009.[15]
On 25 February 2009, the company announced that it had signed an agreement to open its first store in South Korea, located in the Myeongdong district of Seoul, and that it was scheduled to open during Spring 2010.[16]
The company will open the first store in Singapore in Autumn 2011, to be located on Orchard Road.[17]
In 1968, Persson acquired the premises and inventory of a Stockholm hunting-equipment store, Mauritz Widforss. Included in the inventory was a supply of men's clothing, prompting Persson to expand into menswear. Accordingly, he renamed the store Hennes & Mauritz, later abbreviated to H&M.
Erling's son Stefan became chief executive officer in 1990 and chairman of the board in 1998.
Today, the majority of the clothing is manufactured in Asia [4] including Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Pakistan and Turkey.
The company worldwide
Number of stores as of 30 November 2011[5]| Africa:[6] | Asia:[7][6] | Europe:[8]
| North America:[9]
| Oceania: | South America: |
Europe
.jpg)
.jpg)
In the 1990s, its first stores opened in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, the Netherlands and Spain. In Portugal the first store opened in 2003, in Chiado, Lisboa. The company has continued to expand its business and the company has an extensive network throughout much of Europe. Germany is the company's largest market (with 377 stores as of 2011), followed by the United Kingdom (with 192 stores as of 2011) and then Sweden (with 168 stores as of 2011).[11]
In Europe, online shopping is available in the Sweden, Denmark, Norway, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands Austria and the UK.
Croatia
Croatia is the second country that isn't in The European Union where H&M opened their store. On 7 and 14 April 2011, first two stores were opened in Croatia in the exclusive Cvjetni shopping center in Zagreb and in the Arena Centar, near the Zagreb Arena. On 25 August 2011 store was opened in City Center One, Split, on 8 September 2011 store was opened in Zadar and on 15 September 2011 store was opened in City Center One, Zagreb. On 20 October 2011 store was opened in Westgate Shopping City.Russia
On 13 March 2009, the company opened its first location in Russia, in the Metropolis mall in Moscow, near the Moscow Metro Voykovskaya station. On 20 March 2009, it opened a second Russian location in the MEGA Family Shopping Centre in Khimki. On 22 October 2009, a third location opened in the MEGA Family Shopping Centre in Belaya Dacha. On 18 October 2009, a store was opened in Rostokino at the Golden Babylon shopping centre, Europe's largest[citation needed] shopping centre.Canada & US
Canada
The company opened its first Canadian store in March 2004. There are currently[when?] fifty-six stores in Canada, including Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.[edit] United States
It had opened its first U.S. store in New York City, on Fifth Avenue (at 51st Street) in March 2000; there are now[when?] nine additional stores in city's Manhattan borough alone.[citation needed]
On 18 March 2010, the company opened its first store in North Carolina at the Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh.[citation needed]
In October 2010, plans were announced for it to open its first Texas location in Dallas.[12] The Dallas store opened 19 August 2011 at the North Park Mall off of 75 in North Dallas. http://www.wfaa.com/news/consumer/H--M-store--128026228.html
The company opened in The Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on 5 November 2010.[citation needed]
On 11 November 2010, it opened its first Oregon location at the Pioneer Place in Portland.[citation needed]
In 2011, H&M opened a flagship store in Denver, Colorado and also announced that it would open other locations in the Carolinas in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.[13]
Online Shopping
On 27 January 2011, H&M announced through its official Twitter account that there will be online shopping available to USA customers at the turn of 2011/2012.[citation needed]
Asia
The company opened its first Asian store (also the company's first franchise) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2006. It followed with a store in the Salmiya district of Kuwait City, Kuwait.
The first Israeli store was opened in Tel Aviv in 2010, followed by five more stores across the country. More stores are expected to open, mainly in the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area.[14]
It expanded into East Asia in March 2007, with its first store opening in Central Hong Kong on 10 March 2007. Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue opened that store where she also exclusively launched her range of swimwear, "H&M loves Kylie".
The first location in Shanghai, China, was opened in 2007.[citation needed]
The first Japanese store was opened in Ginza on 13 September 2008, while a second store was opened in Harajuku in November 2008. Another store was opened in the Shibuya shopping district on 19 September 2009.[15]
On 25 February 2009, the company announced that it had signed an agreement to open its first store in South Korea, located in the Myeongdong district of Seoul, and that it was scheduled to open during Spring 2010.[16]
The company will open the first store in Singapore in Autumn 2011, to be located on Orchard Road.[17]
