For Immediate Release
Contact: Whitney Tremaine
(212) 645-6900 x121
whitney@jerichopr.com
“TAKE OFF YOUR SHIRT”
H&M, International Fashion Retailer, Celebrates Grand Opening and Gives Shoppers a
Chance to Help Others this Holiday Season

NEW YORK, November 22, 2002 -- At the grand opening celebration of the new H&M store in Roosevelt Field (Old Country Road, Garden City NY) the old saying, “Give ‘em the shirt off your back” is being put to the test. On Friday, December 13 at Noon when the new H&M store officially opens its doors, the first 100 shoppers in line that take off their shirt will receive a free H&M t-shirt (so they won’t go home topless), as well as 20% off the purchase of a new H&M shirt that day. To help take the chill out of someone’s winter season, donations of sweaters and other warm clothing will be accepted as well. The clothes received from shoppers at the grand opening celebration will benefit The United Way of Long Island, a non-profit organization devoted to expanding the voluntary capacity of Long Island.

“All year round H&M provides people with clothing that fits their personality,” said Karen Belva, public relations manager, H&M. “As a company that is in the business of dressing people with style, we thought it was a natural fit to develop a program that helps people in need this holiday season, as well as work together with the local community to benefit a worthy cause.”

“We are so grateful for the support of H&M. There are so many Long Island families and children that are in desperate need of clothing during the winter season,” said Willie Edlow Jr., President & C.P.O. of United Way Long Island. “H&M is helping our member agencies to make a difference in the lives of our Long Island families.”

With a total of 46 U.S. stores, the new 15,500 square foot H&M store in Roosevelt Field will offer high quality fashion and accessories for women and children. H&M store hours are Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

About H&M
H&M is Europe’s leading fashion retailer offering fashion and quality at the best price. Marketing its own brand of clothing with a team of 95 in-house designers, H&M receives daily deliveries of new fashion styles and sells more than 600 million garments a year. H&M opened its first store in Sweden in 1947 and expanded with the first U.S. store on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 2000. Today, H&M has more than 800 stores in 14 countries and over 30,000 employees all working to the same philosophy: to provide fashion and quality at the best price. To visit H&M’s web site please go to http://www.hm.com.

About United Way of Long Island
United Way of Long Island is a non-profit organization devoted to enriching Long Island through programs which empower communities, build strong families, promote successful children, maintain health and independence, and provide a safety net for Long Island residents in crisis. For more information visit www.unitedwayli.org.