Scandi-style brand & Other Stories has just announced plans to open its first Irish store on Dublin’s Grafton Street this autumn.

Part of the H&M Group, the women’s fashion label will open a three-level shop as part of the Swedish company’s continuing expansion in the Irish retail sector.

Since the opening of the Irish flagship H&M store – and its sister store COS – in 2014, Irish fashionistas have got a taste for Scandinavian style and are ready to welcome this new venture with open arms.

Launched in 2013, & Other Stories is a purportedly social media driven brand, influenced more by blogger and street style than the prescribed fashions of the catwalk.

Despite being a relatively new retailer, & Other Stories has made a name for itself with bloggers and celebrities alike for its minimalist designs and affordable price tags.

Selling everything from make-up to lingerie, the store has already developed a reputation for interesting design collaborations, and controversial marketing campaigns directed by the likes of Lena Dunham.

Using the sartorial marriage of Scandinavian and Parisian design, & Other Stories provides both simple and tailored designs that – the brand claims – allow the wearer to develop her own personal style or “story”.

Since it starting shipping to Ireland in 2014, & Other Stories has become something of a fashion staple, squeezing its way into the wardrobes of any self-respecting Irish fashion girl.

However with the Irish store on the horizon, now might be the time to give those wardrobes a much needed spring clean to make room for the new arrival.

by IONA SHEARER