10 things you didnt know about H&M

Before you head to Mega Fashion Hall, get to know the Swedish brand that has changed the fashion-retail landscape all over the world

I had my first experience 10 years agomy first H&M shopping experience, that is! It was early November and I was in Madrid, Spain to visit my sister, who had moved there a few years before. It was chillier than I expected, so she took me to H&M to buy a coat. I found a pea green brocade coat with a high collar and a hook-and-eye closurecertainly a standout when most people prefer black or brown when it comes to outerwear. I dont remember how much it cost, but what struck me was that it looked like a designer piece without the high price. I bought it. I still have that coat and always pack it when I travel to colder climes.

And today, many Filipinos will get their first H&M experience as the first H&M store in the country opens at Mega Fashion Hall.

Exactly a month ago, a group of Filipino journalists and I had the chance to visit the H&M headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Being an H&M fan, I thought I knew a lot about this brand (apart from the fact that its Swedish), but boy was I wrong. In the three days we spent there with members of their design team, the PR department, the group that handles the photo studio for all images, their HR head, store staff, and even the CEO, it was clear that H&M was more than just a conglomerate; it was like a family. The corporate culture is one that fosters teamwork, has strong values, and all work for the same goal: to provide its customers with fashion and quality at the best price.

Every H&M store has an A Area, which is the first thing you see when you enter. It features mannequins in styled outfits to encourage shoppers to buy

1. H&Ms founder Erling Persson came from a family of butchers. Persson started out selling cheese, but after a trip to the US where he saw a store selling womens dresses at very low prices, he thought it was a good business idea. So he opened his first womens clothing store in Vsteras, Sweden in 1947 and called it Hennes (which means hers in Swedish). In the 60s, he wanted to expand to mens clothing, so he bought the adjacent store called Mauritz Widforss, which sold mens hunting and fishing gear. In 1968, he changed the name to Hennes & Mauritz, which was eventually shortened to H&M, the font of which has not changed since it was created. Curiously, no one at the company could remember exactly when it was created or by whom! (Their best guess was late 60s/early 70s by an interior decorator.)

2. H&Ms CEO is under 40 years old. Karl-Johan Persson, the founders grandson, was born in 1975. He assumed the CEO position in 2009. I never had the chance to work closely with my father or grandfather, but I think our management style is quite similar in that we think about the H&M culture all the time, said Karl-Johan. Its a lot about teamwork, delegating responsibility, constantly pushing for innovation, and having an entrepreneurial spirit. He added that a huge challenge is to keep the bureaucracy away. Were a big company, but we want to keep that startup feeling, and work with fun, friendly people who have good values and great drive.

3. It is mandatory at H&M for each and every employee to work in the store at least two days of the yearthat includes top management and the CEO! I worked for two days last summer here in Sweden, Karl-Johan told us. I think I slowed down the pace at the cashier because I found it hard to do the de-alarming, folding the clothes in a nice way, and putting them in the bag, he added, with a sheepish smile. But its a good exercise in that they get feedback from customers and see what improvements can be made.

4. H&M is now in 55 countries. The Philippines is the 55th! Just last April, they opened the first Australian store in Melbourne; this week they opened in Sydney. In 2015, they will open the first branches in Taiwan, India, Peru, and South Africa. So what took them so long to come here? We get that question from every country we enter, said Karl-Johan. We always knew that the Philippines is a super interesting market, but we have to look at several thingsthe size of the market, fashion interest, expansion opportunities, how easy it is to do business in the country We have an expansion team that had been traveling to the Philippines for four or five years, looking for the best locationthats very important. Added Hacan Andersson of H&Ms communications & press department, If we dont find it, wed rather wait.

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10 things you didnt know about H&M