H&M honoured at Retail Asia Awards 2025

The company earned recognition for transforming fashion retail with innovation, immersive experience and sustainability.

H&M emerged as the recipient of the Apparel Retailer of the Year - Singapore accolade at the Retail Asia Awards 2025 for redefining fashion retail through creativity, cutting-edge technology, and commitment to sustainability.

The brand is faced with intense competition and shifting consumer preferences. For this reason, it has embraced a strategy focussed on regional design, innovative store experiences, and circular fashion initiatives—all in an effort to reclaim market share and foster brand loyalty.

Amongst its initiatives aligned with this objective was one rolled out in 2023, when H&M established the Asia Design Hub in Shanghai and brought together over 20 designers and developers. This team used data-driven insights and trend-spotting tools to tailor collections that resonate with regional tastes, cultural nuances, and seasonal demands. 

The brand further made itself appealing to the East Asian market by collaborating with local designers such as South Korea’s Rokh Hwang and India’s Anamika Khanna.

Moreover, H&M launched in May 2024 its first global flagship store in Myeongdong, Seoul. The establishment features an immersive fitting room that also offers a 360-degree sensory experience with various moods and themes. One feature that also made it a standout is the smart fitting rooms equipped with mirrors that identify products and suggest additional sizes or colours.

In the store, customers can request items to be delivered directly to their fitting rooms or opt for online ordering. Overall, the six-story store that spans approximately 1,580 and includes an underground fitting room lounge showcases a curated selection of fashion-forward womenswear and menswear. 

When it comes to sustainability, H&M is committed to becoming net-zero by 2040. It aims to achieve its goal of halving carbon emissions by 2030 and transitioning to 100% renewable electricity.

In East Asia, the brand has made significant strides in sustainability as it increased the share of recycled or sustainably sourced materials in collections to 89%, including 29% recycled materials, up from 85% in 2023. 

Syre Group, H&M’s subsidiary, has also committed to invest up to US$1b to establish a high-tech polyester fibre recycling facility in Bình Định, Vietnam. This is in an effort to process 250,000 metric tons of textile waste annually.

Additionally, H&M invested US$3.87m between 2022 and 2023 to support suppliers in reducing emissions through green investments. It also launched an in-store garment collection programme that has repurposed over 800,000 kg of textiles as of November 2024.

By aligning with regional preferences and leading in circular fashion initiatives, H&M is poised to continue its journey as a responsible and forward-thinking brand in the global fashion industry.

The Retail Asia Awards honours the achievements and innovations of the key players in the retail industry in Asia. The annual event also serves as a showcase of the diverse range of categories in various aspects of the sector.

The Retail Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the Retail industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].