H&M Beauty, the beauty department of fashion retailer H&M, is set to open two flagship stores in Oslo, Norway. The first store, located at Karl Johans gate 14, will open on May 4, while the second store, situated in the Oslo City mall, will open later in the May. Each store will have around 3,230 square feet of space, approximately double the size of the usual H&M Beauty departments found in H&M stores.
General Manager of H&M Beauty, Cathrine Wigzell, described the new stores as being “like the launch of H&M Beauty”. The stores will feature H&M branded beauty products, as well as a range of external beauty brands, including Scandinavian labels and some brands exclusive to Norway, such as Huda Beauty. Overall, more than 80 beauty brands will be stocked in the stores.
H&M Beauty is a relatively new concept for H&M, which created a standalone organisation for the department three years ago. Industry experts were brought onto the team as it was developed, with a new brand identity and aesthetic launched in January. The in-house team of designers and architects developed the store concept, which was inspired by the combined atmospheres of a cocktail bar and a spa.
The H&M Beauty store will be located within existing H&M stores, but will have its own area designed to give an elevated experience to shoppers. The aim of the new concept is to ensure that people can shop their entire look at H&M, with beauty products being tightly connected to fashion.
The brand will be offering a number of local brands in the Oslo stores, including Emma S, Xlash, Ida Warg and Glöd. The H&M Beauty product mix will be tailored to each individual market, aiming to provide the beauty products that are most in demand in each location.
Half of H&M Beauty’s customers are under 35, with around 50% of new customers being from Generation Z. The retailer is enthusiastic about the potential of the new stores, particularly as the beauty market continues to grow. The retailer has plans to launch its own in-house brand, called Oh Hey Hero, targeting Gen Z customers with a 10-unit body care range.
In addition to the new stores opening in Oslo, H&M Beauty products are already available in almost 2,000 H&M stores worldwide. External beauty brands have been stocked in Swedish and Norwegian H&M stores from the start, and currently, around 300 H&Ms in a range of markets carry external beauty brands.
