H&M Opening High-Tech Flagship in Times Square

H&M’s 42,000-square-foot flagship at 4 Times Square here takes the notion of high tech to the next level.

Daniel Kulle, president of H&M North America, said the flagship will be the company’s most productive store in North America once it opens at 12:01 a.m. Thursday with an appearance by Lady Gaga, who is expected to interact with customers and shop at the store for several hours. She’ll be wearing some semblance of H&M, said Kulle. The performer, who released an album Monday, was amenable to the opportunity for publicity. H&M is selling the album at 175 stores worldwide.

“She’s an artist, she’s going to make some noise,” he said.

The Times Square store will be the first worldwide to offer Isabel Marant for H&M, the retailer’s next designer collaboration, on Thursday. Marant designed collections for women, men, teens and girls and boys. “Isabel will sell out in less than a week,” Kulle predicted. He said it’s the retailer’s largest designer collaboration since Martin Margiela, which had the same number of styles, but more accessories and shoes.

Source/WWD 
Photos: John Aquino