H&M is facing a rare dilemma for a mass-market brand: it’s lost its edge. Playing it too safe, it now sits awkwardly between Shein’s race-to-the-bottom pricing and Zara’s aspirational cool. In today’s hyper-competitive, culturally fluent landscape, H&M risks becoming forgettable.
With sales stagnating and brand identity in flux, it's now turning to the culture playbook—tapping Charli XCX for its AW ‘Brat’ campaign in a bid to reclaim relevance.
In my view, H&M occupies a valuable strategic middle ground between Shein and Zara—but to own it, the brand needs a rebrand built on playfulness, attitude, and true cultural fluency. Gen Z and Gen Alpha won’t tolerate cultural illiteracy from global players anymore.
Daniel Ervér’s leadership signals a pivot—store refreshes, stronger design direction, and campaigns rooted in music and subculture. It's a move towards relevance, not just revenue—but as we’ve seen time and time again, this playbook is easier said than done.
The real question: Can a Swedish mass retailer still feel culturally exciting?
Let’s see if H&M can make the leap from basic to brat. 👀
