Which Swedish entrepreneur founded H&M in 1947?

Erling Persson founded H&M in 1947.

Persson began the business after visiting the United States and observing the efficiency of American retail. He opened a womenswear shop in Västerås, Sweden, creating the company that eventually became Hennes. The business later expanded into menswear and adopted the H&M name.

His son Stefan Persson later became a major figure in the company, serving as chief executive and chairman at different times. That family connection can cause confusion, but Stefan was the founder’s successor, not the founder himself.

Erling Persson’s founding date is also distinct from the later 1968 acquisition that brought Mauritz Widforss into the business and produced the Hennes & Mauritz name.