re also features digital screens sprinkled throughout, with interactive augmented reality (AR) experiences, and a unique facade known as the ‘veil’, which was built using the eco-friendly i-Mesh textile. This unique fabric, conceived by RSP Architects, is not only customisable but also waste-free. It can change its appearance based on distance, lighting, and time of day, mirroring H&M’s dynamic approach to fashion and sustainability. Physical experiences matter According to Oldouz Mirzaie, managing director for South Asia at H&M, the role of the bricks-and-mortar retail store has evolved, especially since the pandemic, with consumers wanting enhanced and advanced digital shopping experiences. “While we still believe in the importance of the physical store portfolio, its purpose is shifting from being about transaction to being about experience,” she told Inside Retail. With the revamped flagship store, H&M aims to offer customers a journey of discovery that evolves beyond a traditional shopping experience.  “The dynamic and flexible store layout will give customers a curated experience each time they enter, and open lounge areas will serve as spaces where they can engage further with our brand through activities and workshops,” she added. Oldouz Mirzaie, managing director for South Asia at H&M Augmented reality Currently, Mirzaie said that the AR experience is intended to create an interactive, gamified, and educational shopping experience for kids in-store.  “Kids can scan a QR code found on a poster to play a game, which encourages them to find specific clothes on the character in the AR world, and feed them to the ‘recycling monster’ to learn more about our garment collecting programme and clothes recycling,” she noted. She recognises that there are many more opportunities for AR to be integrated into the physical retail environment, especially in the fashion industry, and H&M has previously used AR in many other ways to enhance the brand experience.  “For instance, we released five augmented reality filters on the H&M app as part of our Innovation Metaverse Design story in 2022, enabling customers to virtually try on outfits and express themselves both in person and online,” she said. Championing sustainability According to Mirzaie, the store’s facade is a reflection of the brand’s commitment to fashion and sustainability. Globally, the brand has signed agreements with developers of solar farms to secure renewable energy for many years to come. Ninety-two per cent of the electricity that the brand uses for its operations globally is renewable, and in the flagship store in Singapore, 100 per cent of the lighting is powered by LED, making it more long-lasting and efficient. Interestingly, the i-Mesh textile used for the facade is a sustainable and customisable material that generates zero waste during production and can be easily reused at the end of its life. Mirzaie pointed out that the tensile fabric appears as if it is an intricately woven lattice, representing the fashion brand’s intrinsic relationship with textiles.  “Its translucent nature also allows for the Art Deco building behind to be seen through the façade. At night, the canvas can be lit up with vibrant colours and lighting effects, becoming a dynamic membrane that showcases and curates the H&M experience,” she noted. Future goals H&M is not sitting still in the sustainability department. Globally, the brand has set an ambitious climate goal, aiming to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. Mirzaie said that currently 84 per cent the materials used by the brand are recycled or sourced in a sustainable fashion. She said the brand recognises that sustainability is a complex issue that requires dialogue and a shared commitment to drive progress.  “That is why we joined the Swedish Chamber of Commerce and the Bukit Batok community, as well as Swedish and local businesses to launch a Green Innovation Centre (GIC) at the Cozy Garden, a community garden in Bukit Batok, in June 2023,” she elaborated. On September 9, the brand will be hosting an inaugural circular fashion workshop and first-ever clothing swap at the GIC, in collaboration with Singapore Fashion Council and The Fashion Pulpit. “The workshops will touch on how to upcycle your unwanted clothes, how to take care of your garments to prolong their lifespan and things you can do in your daily life to support sustainability in fashion in Singapore,” she concluded.