Justin Bieber Says H&M Merchandise Released Without His Permission — Warns Fans Not To Buy The ‘Trash’ Clothing

Topline

Pop singer Justin Bieber warned fans to steer clear of merchandise featuring his name and image at clothing giant H&M, saying the designs are “trash” and that he did not approve of the line, which the Swedish retailer denied.

Key Facts

H&M released a line of merchandise without the singer’s permission, Bieber said on his Instagram story Monday afternoon.

“I wouldn’t buy it if I were you,” Bieber told his 270 million Instagram followers, adding that the pieces were “trash.”

It wasn’t immediately clear which items Bieber was referring to, but on Monday afternoon H&M had images of colorful hoodies and other items listed under the singer’s name, some featuring the phrase “I miss you more than life,” a lyric from his 2021 song “Ghost.”

Contra

An H&M representative dismissed Bieber’s claims in an email to Forbes, saying that the company “followed proper approval procedures” as it does with “all other licensed products and partnerships.”

Big Number

$23.8 billion. That’s how much H&M made in revenue last fiscal year.

Key Background

H&M—which stands for Hennes & Mauritz—is known for its merchandise lines with top pop singers including Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish. The Swedish retailer previously carried items featuring Bieber as far back as 2001. H&M is the second largest international fashion retailer after Intidex, Zara’s parent company. Last month, H&M began to slash its staff in a move that will eventually eliminate 1,500 positions to cut costs after sales fell for a third quarter.

Tangent

In September, Bieber abruptly called off his Justice World Tour over health issues after he was diagnosed with Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome, a rare condition that can cause facial paralysis.

Further

Justin Bieber Calls Off Justice World Tour—Again—Amid Struggle With Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome (Forbes)

H&M Staff Cuts And Other Savings Of Almost $200 Million Fail To Convince Markets (Forbes)