H&M halts Berlin innovation lab

H&M is pulling the plug on its innovation hub H&M Beyond. The think tank in Berlin was supposed to serve as a test centre for new concepts and ideas, but ceases to exist as an independent unit.

Small-scale experiments

With H&M Beyond, H&M wanted a small, stand-alone unit in the creative city of Berlin to experiment with and think about innovative concepts. Among other things, the think tank called into being a hyperlocal Berlin store and a service to personalise clothes with embroidery.

However, amid ongoing restructuring and cost-cutting at H&M Group, the project is being discontinued. The team of four will be disbanded, H&M confirmed to Fashionunited. Manager Oliver Lange already left the fashion group on 1 May. H&M says it will integrate the insights and ideas gained within the group, though. The fashion giant also says it will keep the “agile processes and methods”.