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

The Swedish ready-to-wear group H&M plans to close the French design studio of its brand & Other Stories. A representative of the brand confirmed this to the AFP news agency. The Force Ouvrière union had previously warned that almost thirty jobs would be cut.

“We must continue to strengthen our business in the long term and ensure a sustainable operating model in all markets in which we are present,” the fashion giant explained the move.

“To address these challenges, we plan to close our studio in Paris. The aim is to bring the entire creative and design team together in Stockholm, Sweden,” the group continued. The company did not want to comment further as the process is currently the subject of consultations with employee representatives.

According to Force Ouvrière, 26 of the 28 positions for designers and purchasing managers are to be eliminated. These positions are almost exclusively “held by women, some of whom have been there since the opening more than ten years ago,” said Nicolas Levy, FO union representative at H&M, outraged to the AFP.

Since the arrival of new creative director Jonathan Saunders in 2025, “the brand has been making less sales,” said the trade unionist. This would explain the efforts to save costs.

Founded in 2013, & Other Stories offers clothing and accessories for women. The brand is present in 66 stores worldwide, including three in France, and in 24 countries. It is available online in 32 countries.

In the first quarter, H&M recorded a 22 percent increase in net profit to 704 million crowns (65 million euros).