Updated 04.04.2012 Earlier this week, Grazia Daily was befuddled by reports that H&M's new retail chain will be called '& other stories.' Is it snappy and distinctive enough for a high-end brand that's set to be the new COS, we asked? Well, it's time to get used to it because Mr Håcan Andersson, H&M's press officer, has confirmed the unusual name IS going ahead.
'It is correct that H&M will launch a new chain in 2013 called & other stories, but this is all the available information we have as of today,' Andersson told Relaxnews.
What do you make of the name?
COS Spring Summer 2012 campaign
Posted 02.04.2012 It was nothing short of hysteria here at Grazia Towers last week when rumours hit the interweb that H&M are plotting a luxury line. Days later, it was revealed that the Swedish retailer are indeed set to 'broaden its offering', but rather than going super high-end, the new chain of stores will be COS-like, ie: packed with gorgeous and good quality pieces that are affordable. So far, so good. But now the name of said chain has emerged and is is...*drum roll please*... ‘& other stories’.
Eh?
Although the brand has remained tight-lipped, refusing to confirm or deny the name, Swedish news outlet Dagens Nyheter reports that trademarks and logos for '& other stories' were registered by a Swedish firm last year. Ooh. Dagens Nyheter reports that Camilla Emilsson-Falk, Head of Media Relations for H&M, confirmed the details. ‘We see the new chain as a complement to H&M,’ she reportedly said. ‘It will be at a slightly higher price bracket and with a little better quality, but still stay within the framework of our business concept -- fashion and quality at the best price.’
Yippee! we say to high-quality fast-fashion, but we’re not so convinced by the name. ‘& other stories’ doesn’t have quite the same snappy ring to it as ‘H&M’ or ‘COS’, does it? And it's not nearly as distinctive, sounding like a book we'd read aged five rather than a shop we'd like to splash the cash. Here's hoping the speculation is nothing but chatter and those clever Hennes peeps have something far quippier up their sleeves...
