H&M is launching a new brand called Arket that, according to an official statement made by the company, will function as a "modern-day market that will offer essential products for men, women, children and home"—including food.
In addition to selling its own products (expect a higher price point compared to your average H&M store) alongside a selection of non-H&M stuff, some of the new Arket stores will also boast cafés serving new Nordic cuisine. "We are adding on a café that will make the modern-day market a destination where you can both shop and enjoy healthy food," said Ulrika Bernhardtz, Arket's creative director, to Business of Fashion.
The brand's name seeks to call out the concept of a "market" but it also translates to "sheet of paper" in Swedish—"It both relates to our origin in the Nordic tradition of functional, long-lasting design and symbolizes the blank sheet, the sense of optimism and possibility we felt creating this new brand," explained Bernhardtz.
The first Arket store is set to open in London during late summer or early fall, at the same time launching online across 18 countries in Europe. What does this all mean to you? It's time to book a European shopping vacation.