H&M

H&M, officially H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB, is a Swedish multinational clothing retailer headquartered in Stockholm. Founded by Erling Persson on October 4, 1947, in Västerås, the company began as a single women's wear shop called Hennes, Swedish for "hers." After acquiring the hunting and fishing equipment retailer Mauritz Widforss in 1968, Persson brought menswear into the range and renamed the company Hennes & Mauritz. Today, H&M operates thousands of stores across 75 markets and employs more than 171,000 people, making it the second-largest international clothing retailer after Inditex, which owns Zara.

The brand's product lineup spans women's, men's, and children's clothing, accessories, footwear, beauty products, and home goods, including bedding, soft toys, and ceramic tableware. H&M positions itself as an accessible fashion destination, with a core philosophy of "fashion and quality at the best price in a more sustainable way." The company has a significant online presence through hm.com and maintains active social media channels.

H&M has faced scrutiny over sustainability and labor practices, but has responded with commitments to recycled materials and renewed global framework agreements with IndustriALL Global Union and Swedish trade union IF Metall to reinforce garment worker protections. The brand continues to adapt to changing consumer preferences, entering the secondhand market and launching high-profile collaborations like the August 2026 Wardrobe.NYC collection. [edit]