Geraldine Maunier-Rossi leads external partnerships at H&M, a role that connects the retailer with cultural icons and consumer trends. She spoke about licensing’s role in modern retail and the benefits these collaborations bring to the business and its shoppers. H&M is one of over 1,000 retailers attending Brand Licensing Europe next month, which runs 6-8 October at Excel London.
A history of partnerships
For many years, H&M has woven brand collaborations into its very fabric. The central goal stays the same—to broaden access to culture, creativity and fashion for a larger public. Although the program has changed over the years, licensing now serves as a key strategic pillar for the company. It operates alongside guest-designer projects and various other partnership formats.
H&M says licensing works like a catalyst linking apparel to entertainment, sports, gaming, art, music and pop culture. Through this method, the retailer can turn cultural events into appealing clothing items that resonate with shoppers globally. Proof of this enduring practice shows up on resale sites; for example, H&M Pre-Loved and Sellpy list a vintage H&M Disney Mickey Mouse jacket dating back to the 1980s.
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Why the strategy matters
Through licensing, H&M can tie its clothing range to the cultural dialogues that shoppers already care about. The retailer sees this as going beyond merely adding a logo to an item. The most effective collaborations generate significance where fashion, culture and fandom meet. Be it entertainment, music, sport or new cultural trends, licensing offers a way to reach consumers via narratives and communities that carry emotional weight.
For shoppers, this creates new reasons to engage with the brand and introduces H&M to audiences that may not otherwise consider it. Licensing helps fulfil the mission of “liberating fashion for the many” by making cultural icons, stories and experiences accessible through fashion at an attractive price point. The strategy strengthens brand equity, differentiates the assortment and reinforces the company’s position in a competitive market.
The business side of culture
At Brand Licensing Europe, which takes place 6-8 October at Excel London, the company meets existing partners and discovers emerging intellectual properties. The event is the biggest in Europe for licensing and brand extension. It allows H&M to identify shifts in consumer culture before they become mainstream and contributes to shaping future assortment and partnership roadmaps.
