H&M makes its splash in Denver

Finally! H&M has landed in Denver, at the Pavilions on the 16th Street Mall. The two-level store – with its gleaming façade, stylish window displays and bright, come-hither vibe – is drawing a multitude of fashion fans to its front doors. Just one look at the line of people waiting to get in is all it takes to see that this store is a Mecca for trendsetters looking for great fashion and at amazing prices.

“There has been such a demand for our brand to come to Denver, and it’s a sign that Denver really appreciates fashion, quality and great value, which is what we’re bringing,” said Nicole Christie, H&M spokeswoman. “We have a beautiful entrance, and all of the design is done by H&M in-house talent. We always want to pick the best location that highlights and showcases our collections, and we think we did that with Denver Pavilions.”

The nearly 22,000-square foot store, which is H&M’s first foray into Colorado, features collections for ladies, men, teens and kids with departments like denim, lingerie and accessories (jewelry, hats, scarves, tights and even cute boots and shoes).

“What really drives customers into our store is the availability of that special piece,” Christie said. “It’s someone who says, ‘I need a new cute top for the weekend or I need a new pair of jeans. And, I need something that’s going to last and it’s at a good price.’ Our customer appreciates our range. This is our 230th store in the country, and we’ve only been open for 11 years in the U.S. That rate of expansion speaks to how much we offer in one place.”

H&M has 140 designers in Stockholm, Sweden, that work one year in advance to design the most up-to-date collections.

“We use the same trend forecasters as high-end designers, and we use street culture, pop culture and music as inspiration,” Christie said. “We’re looking at trends now for Fall 2012 and then next will be Spring 2013, so we really work ahead. We also adjust ourselves in-season. If we see something that’s becoming current, or it’s something we missed or if a customer is demanding it, we’ll try and add it to the collection.”

This season, the trends are all about warmth and comfort.

For guys, this season is about mixing dressy and casual items. At H&M, you’ll find all kinds of blazers (tweed, jersey, denim, etc.) and knit pullovers sporting retro elbow patches. Button-down shirts also are a huge seller for H&M.

“We really believe in this vintage look with our button downs,” Christie said. “We work on choosing comfortable and wearable fabrics for our men’s shirts, because that’s important to guys.”

H&M is stocked with items for the gals such as sweater dresses, oversized knits, ponchos, knitted tights and, yes, even leg warmers. The Conscious Collection, which features sustainable materials such as organic cotton and recycled polyester, pops with bright colors and winter floral motifs.

“We’re really focused on minimizing our impact on the environment, and we’re working with sustainable materials not only in our holiday collections, but in collections across our departments, Christie said.”

On the Web at http://hm.com