H&M has been actively developing an internal beauty infrastructure to capture the full category opportunity by sharpening its assortment and in-store experience to meet customer demand.

The first beauty flagship stores will be located in Oslo. The first will debut on May 4 at Karl Johans Gate 14, and the second on May 25, in Oslo City Mall. The concepts are approximately 3,230 square feet and will live within H&M, but have their own entrance with direct access from high streets as well as dedicated street windows.

Inspiration for the store concept and design mixes cocktail bar and spa-like aesthetics, merging the energy of a vibrant social scene with the respite offered by its self-care and wellness assortment. Customers can enjoy beauty bars, shop for inspirational products, and get help and advice from in-store beauty advisors. This is the beginning of H&M Beauty's journey to create a physical and digital beauty universe where the customer can be inspired and buy their entire look.

Cathrine Wigzell, General Manager, H&M Beauty shared, "We are very happy that we can now offer our customers a well-curated beauty assortment that goes hand-in-hand with the fashion we offer. Our goal is to inspire every customer who enters a H&M store, or who shops online at hm.com, to leave with a complete look across fashion and beauty."

Chris Hobson President and CEO of Rare Beauty Brands said of the concept, " "We've seen other clothing retailers dabble in beauty with varying degrees of success. What was particularly interesting about the H&M approach was the dedicated beauty team they assembled and their commitment to making beauty a core offering, with a rich assortment of brands and a dedicated space."

The merchandise assortment will include the H&M Beauty branded product alongside over 80 third-party brands. Among the brands launching are Scandinavian beauty labels Emma S, Xlash, Ida Warg, and Glöd as well as Smashbox, KVD, Origins, Patchology, Bybi, Monday Haircare, Escada, and Juicy Couture, among many others.  

Hobson shared insight into why their portfolio company joined the launch, "At Patchology we've always believed in a strategic approach to placing the brand where our core consumer shops, whether online or in-store. The H&M team approached us with their vision for a compelling beauty experience and we were immediately hooked."

Merchants have localized the offering to meet the needs of their Gen Z beauty consumer.