H&M plans to close & Other Stories' French design studio

Paris, France - Swedish ready-to-wear group H&M plans to close the French design studio of its brand & Other Stories. A representative for the brand confirmed this to AFP after the trade union Force Ouvrière raised concerns about the elimination of just under 30 positions.

"We must continue to strengthen our business for the long term and ensure a sustainable operating model in all the markets where we operate," the fashion giant explained.

"To meet these challenges, we plan to close our Paris studio with the aim of consolidating the entire creative and design team in Stockholm, Sweden," the group continued. It declined to comment further as the process is currently under consultation with employee representative bodies.

According to Force Ouvrière, 26 of the 28 designer and buyer positions will be eliminated. “These roles are held almost exclusively by women, some of whom have been with the company since it opened more than ten years ago,” Nicolas Levy, an FO H&M union representative, told AFP.

According to the union representative, “the brand’s turnover has decreased” since the arrival of new creative director Jonathan Saunders in 2025, which would explain the move to cut costs.

Founded in 2013, & Other Stories offers womenswear and accessories. The brand has a global presence with 66 stores, including three in France, across 24 countries and is available online in 32.

In the first quarter, H&M reported a 22 percent increase in its net profit, reaching 704 million crowns.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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