H&M unveils small format retail stores in Berlin
In this article (5)
Fashion retailer H&M has opened a new ‘hyper-local flagship’ in Berlin’s creative Mitte Garden district.
The 300sqm store, one of the brand’s smallest worldwide, offers curated womenswear, selected external brands, vintage pieces and a showroom for customers. It features curated fashion from H&M’s own assortment as well as selected external brands, most of them Berlin-based.
The selected assortment is paired with a digital tool offering H&M’s full range where customers can browse and build their looks on their own or aided by a stylist.
“It’s a test for us as a global retailer to elaborate around how we can be more personal and locally relevant,” said H&M Group laboratory business developer Anna Bergare.
H&M Mitte Garten will regularly offer events such as lectures, fashion talks, and yoga for its customers. Upcoming trends and looks will be presented in the public showroom. Here consumers can try on and borrow pieces to make sure their future purchases are consciously made.
“This is a unique location and it has served as a meeting place for Berliners for more than 100 years,” said H&M Germany country manager Thorsten Mindermann. “[It’s] a tradition we want to honor. We aim to offer a neighborhood store serving as a platform for local and global talents within retail, culture, and art.”
Rentals move in Sweden
The opening comes as the brand gets ready to debut clothing rentals in its Stockholm flagship store. The brand is offering the chance to rent selected party dresses and skirts from its 2012–2019 Conscious Exclusive collections to members of its customer loyalty program.
“We have looked at clothing rental for quite some time and are so happy to for the first time soon offer fashion fans the possibility to rent some stunning pieces from our Conscious Exclusive collections,” H&M said head of sustainability Pascal Brun. “We look forward to evaluating this as we are dedicated to change the way fashion is made and consumed today.”
Members will be able to rent up to three pieces a time for a week at a cost of around SEK350 (US$36) per piece.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the H&M Mitte Garten store testing for the brand?
What is the H&M Mitte Garten store testing for the brand?
The new Berlin store is a test for H&M as a global retailer to explore how it can become more personal and locally relevant to customers. This format helps them elaborate on these strategies.
Q.What makes the product assortment in the Berlin store different from typical H&M stores?
What makes the product assortment in the Berlin store different from typical H&M stores?
The store offers curated womenswear, vintage pieces, and selected external brands, many of which are Berlin-based. It also provides a digital tool to access H&M's full range.
Q.Which H&M collections are available for rental in the Stockholm flagship store?
Which H&M collections are available for rental in the Stockholm flagship store?
The Stockholm flagship store is offering selected party dresses and skirts for rent from H&M's Conscious Exclusive collections, specifically those released between 2012 and 2019.
Q.Who is eligible to rent clothes from H&M's Stockholm store?
Who is eligible to rent clothes from H&M's Stockholm store?
Only members of H&M's customer loyalty programme will be able to rent clothing. They can rent up to three items at a time for a period of one week.
Reader pulse
H&M's Berlin micro-store is:
20,153 votes so far