H&M's MONKI and WEEKDAY stores will open in Ebisubashi, Namba, Osaka on June 1st. A preview and reception party were held on May 30th. This building, which housed the second H&M Ebisubashi store until this spring, was closed in March when the Kansai flagship H&M Shinsaibashi store opened and has now been renovated. MONKI will be located on the basement and first floors, while WEEKDAY will be located on the second and third floors. This marks the first MONKI store in Japan and the first WEEKDAY store in Asia. MONKI will have two floors totaling 300 square meters. The interior is inspired by the depths of the sea. The brand's distinctive feature is the fictional fantasy world of "Monki World," which it sets and highlights. The Tokyo store, which will open in Harajuku this September, will also follow this interior design.

Started in 2006, Monki is heavily influenced by Tokyo street style, fusing fun Japanese style with practical Scandinavian style. With this in mind, Director Annika Urbansdotter explains, "We want you to think of this Japan store as a homecoming, not a first foray into the country." Currently operating 60 stores in 11 countries, the brand expanded to Japan and France this year. Each store's floor space varies from 90 to 1,000 square meters, with the standard size being 200 to 350 square meters. The selection is women's only, with a price range roughly similar to H&M's. What sets Monki apart from H&M is the brand's story, the store interior that aligns with that story, and its signature graphics.

Weekday, launched in 2000 with a "multi-brand" concept, offers a wide selection of products. It follows the same format as major Japanese select shops, combining its own original products with those from other brands. Created by the company in 2004, it has grown into a unique denim casual brand. The store will carry globally popular brands such as CHEAP MONDAY and BACK CHRISTOPHE LEMAIRE. Back Christophe Lemaire will be available in Japan starting this fall. The second floor of this new store will be for women, and the third floor will be for men. There will also be a space for store staff to hand-print original T-shirts. The total sales floor space on the two floors is 450 square meters.

Currently, the company operates 22 stores in seven countries, and no plans have been made to open new stores in Japan or Asia. According to public relations representative Karin Haagman, "For the time being, we would like to focus on operating our Osaka store."

Both brands share the common goal of opening a new store in a location with high foot traffic. While this new store is located directly in front of H&M's first Ebisubashi store, making it a two-brand joint venture, both brands typically operate independently, making this a rare occurrence. Going forward, the two brands will pursue their own store opening plans.