Planning the range
H&M builds up its range by putting together a balanced mix of modern basics, current fashions and high fashion within each concept. A number of different factors affect the final composition of the range. What sold well last season is combined with the coming season’s big trends, colours and models. The aim is that the range should reflect what customers want at all times.
Customer demand in different markets and in different stores determines the mix of the product range. Once again, the previous season’s sales form a good guide. The size of the stores, their location and whether it is a city store or a regional store also have a bearing on how the product range is distributed.
High fashion garments that are produced in limited quantities, for example, will be sold only in stores in the big cities. Modern basics – such as jackets, tops and trousers in a range of colours and in the current season’s cut – are ordered in larger volumes and distributed to more stores.
Concept teams find the right merchandise mix Each concept has its own team of designers, buyers, assistants, pattern makers, a section manager and a controller. They are all united by their common interest in fashion and trends and by their understanding of what customers want. The teams produce the right mix of merchandise for each concept.
The number of people working on the teams varies depending on the concept. For the larger concepts, e.g. in women’s wear, a number of designers, buyers and pattern makers may work in parallel, while concepts such as Mama or BiB have considerably smaller teams.