New H&M flagship in NY to include home

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 8/24/2012 12:51:03 PM

New York - When Swedish apparel power house H&M opens its new flagship store on Fifth Avenue here next year, it is likely to represent the retailer's initial foray into home in the U.S.
Published reports announcing the new store, a six-level, 57,000-square foot giant on the corner of 48th Street, say it will feature the full range of H&M product classifications, including home. H&M, which is known for its "fast-fashion" merchandising offering low-cost fashion apparel and turning merchandise quickly, has been featuring home within its European stores for several years but has not sold the category in the U.S. yet. Earlier this year it said it would begin offering it online here in the fall.
The home line, as reported on in Home Textiles Today this past February, features bed, bath and other textiles categories, shown in an innovative system where shoppers make their selections with small magnets which are then brought to a central service counter. Merchandise is displayed in lifestyle settings but no inventory is on the selling floor. It is not known if this is how H&M will show home in the new store in New York.