Arket - the next page of the H&M saga

Elin Hammenfors

SCC Patron H&M is continuing its takeover of Regent Street and the world of retail, launching the new brand, ARKET in the early autumn of 2017.

Since 2017, the H&M Group has continuously expanded their portfolio with new brands. Their first addition was COS, providing modern, functional and considered design with quality and timeless pieces, and London was honoured to host the very first COS store. The expansion followed with Weekday, Monki and Cheap Monday and, in 2009, H&M commenced their journey towards becoming a leader within interior design with H&M Home. Yet another member of the family was introduced in 2013: & Other Stories, with the mission to inspire fashion stories. The majority of this growing family is now gathered on Regent Street, beautifully aligned from Oxford Circus where & Other Stories has their flagship store, followed by H&M, ARKET and COS.

So what is going to fill the empty page, the ‘sheet of paper’ that ARKET means in Swedish? ARKET will be a modern-day market, offering essential products for men, women, children as well as for the home. The brand is still in production, but there are not only designers, buyers and pattern makers who are busy getting everything ready for the autumn launch. Also architects, writers and chefs are contributing with their sweat and tears to build the concept in its head office and studio in Södermalm, Stockholm. You see, this is an H&M brand who wants to relate to its roots.

“It both relates to our origin in the Nordic tradition of functional, long-lasting design and symbolises the blank sheet, the sense of optimism and possibility we felt creating this new brand,” Ulrika Bernhardtz, Creative Director tells The LINK.

Hence, the stores will go beyond offering ready-to-wear collections, accessories and a homewear department and include a café based on the New Nordic Kitchen and its vision of quality ingredients and healthy living. This way of thinking is also reflected in the clothes, as ARKET has worked closely with producers to select and develop materials and techniques enabling the brand to offer customers high quality and long-lasting products at an affordable price.

ARKET is striving for diversity, both in terms of product offering and team setup. They will provide a selection of the best examples of other brands and Managing Director, Lars Axelsson, is quick to praise his co-workers.

“A fantastic team with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise have come together to build ARKET. We´re very excited to soon reveal the brand and share our collections with customers,” he tells The LINK.

Stay tuned for the launch in early autumn 2017 and if you are unable to camp out in line on 224 Regent Street, there will be an online launch in 18 countries simultaneously.