## Overview H&M, officially H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB, is a Swedish multinational fast fashion retailer headquartered in Stockholm, and is the second-largest international clothing retailer after Inditex[1]. Known for its affordable, trend-driven clothing, accessories, and homeware, H&M operates thousands of stores across 75 geographical markets, employs over 171,000 people globally, and has a significant online presence, selling in over 60 markets[1][7]. The company is part of the H&M Group, which encompasses several brands focused on making fashion and design accessible and sustainable for a broad customer base[7]. ## History H&M was founded in 1947 by Erling Persson in Västerås, Sweden, under the name Hennes (“hers” in Swedish), initially selling only women’s clothing[1][3][4]. In 1968, the company acquired Mauritz Widforss, a hunting apparel retailer, leading to the introduction of menswear and a rebranding to Hennes & Mauritz (H&M)[1][5]. The company went public in 1974 and began expanding internationally, opening its first store outside Scandinavia in London in 1976 and entering the U.S. market in 2000[1]. H&M was an early adopter of e-commerce, launching online sales in Sweden in 1998[1][2]. ## Key Achievements H&M is renowned for its rapid response to fashion trends, efficient supply chain, and collaborations with high-profile designers and celebrities, which have kept the brand culturally relevant and commercially successful[1][5]. The company’s annual underwear campaigns featuring supermodels in the 1990s, such as Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, garnered significant media attention and helped cement its global brand identity[2]. H&M has also been a pioneer in sustainability, with a commitment to increasing the use of recycled and sustainably sourced materials—reaching 2