H&M, or Hennes & Mauritz AB, originated in Sweden in 1947 when Erling Persson opened a women's clothing store called Hennes (Swedish for "hers"). The company's expansion and transformation occurred in 1968 when Persson acquired the hunting and fishing equipment store Mauritz Widforss and rebranded the business as H&M. Since then, H&M has evolved into one of the world's largest fashion retailers, known for its fast fashion and affordable clothing.
H&M demonstrates a proactive approach to monitoring and enforcing its trademarks. In 2016, H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB initiated legal action against an Indian fashion house in the Delhi High Court for allegedly unlawfully using the "H&M" trademark and similar red-and-white branding. H&M claimed the Indian company operated with comparable products, despite H&M's earlier production and export history in India. The court ruled for HM Megabrands to halt any direct or indirect use of the mark pending the lawsuit's conclusion. Hennes & Mauritz AB filed a lawsuit against Shein for copyright infringement in Hong Kong in 2021. The litigation aims to address the threat posed by Shein, H&M's Chinese rival. The lawsuit targets Shein Group Ltd. and Zoetop Business Co., previously owning Shein. H&M seeks unspecified damages and an injunction to prevent Shein from infringing on its copyright and trademarks. Evidence, including images of various clothing items, was presented, alleging that Shein copied H&M's designs. The case is ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for July 31. H&M confirmed the lawsuit, asserting that Shein infringed on their designs in multiple instances.
