Europe’s Major Fast Fashion Retailers are Continuing to Expand

Europe’s major fast fashion retailers are continuing to expand and despite some recent challenges, and a change at the top, H&M opened the doors to its latest store on London’s famous King’s Road on 21 March.

Conceived as a special destination store, H&M says that the new three-story outlet focuses on offering the retailer’s most fashion-forward womenswear, including a “handpicked curation of H&M’s most elevated designs and innovative pieces, alongside accessories and exclusive H&M Beauty products”. To reflect the product offer, the interior is deliberately sophisticated and will, says H&M, be full of immersive in-store experiences, with the space aiming to inspire customers both in the local, affluent catchment in Chelsea and beyond. It will also serve as a hub for events and activations for H&M.

The store was designed by the Swedish-based retailer’s in-house architecture team and is located at 72 Kings Road, a Grade II-listed building, and takes inspiration from the aesthetic of the neighbourhood’s cultural heritage – a centre for fashion and art for more than half a century. The design includes elegant colours and tactile surfaces along with high gloss details to create a contemporary feel, maximising flow and light across all three levels.

The world's second-biggest listed fashion retailer after Spanish rival Inditex, H&M has?faced fierce competition from the ever-green Zara and the inexorable rise of Chinese online giant Shein. As a result, H&M has pivoted over the past 12 months to focus on profitability rather than sales volumes as it targets a 10% operating margin in 2024, although it hinted that this may be tough to reach over the period.

At the new store opening, Daniel Ervér, the recently-appointed CEO of H&M Group, said: “The newly-designed store celebrates what that we stand for as a brand by promising our customers a world of curated products and elevated fashion experiences. London is a global hub of fashion and creativity, so we are proud to expand and evolve our presence here, and to show our commitment to our local customers.” -

The 42-year-old Ervér started as a summer trainee at H&M in 2005 and worked in various roles across the company. For the last four years, he has been responsible for the eponymous H&M brand, which is also the group’s largest.

“We see this store as a culmination of H&M’s long relationship with London fashion, and the city’s heritage as a hub for experimentation and self-expression. Every aspect of the store is developed with the customer in mind – it’s about celebrating the joy of shopping, through great design, interactive store features and personal twists for every visitor,” Henrik Nordvall, Country Manager, H&M UK & Ireland, added at the launch.