Fashion career profile
Ann-Sofie Johansson
Ann-Sofie Johansson is a Swedish fashion designer and senior creative leader at H&M. She joined the company as a store employee in 1987 while studying fashion and moved into design work in 1990. H&M appointed her Head of Design in 2008, succeeding Margareta van den Bosch. She later led New Development, a role focused on exploring new ideas and product directions, before becoming a Creative Advisor in 2015. H&M currently identifies her as Creative Advisor and Head of Design Womenswear. The profile keeps that exact combined current title, while preserving her earlier design and new-development positions as separate stages instead of implying an uninterrupted house-wide Head of Design appointment. Her career is notable for its progression from store work through design, category leadership and advisory responsibility within one large international retailer. This long internal career makes her a useful example of how fashion leadership can develop outside the conventional luxury-house route.
- Role
- Creative Advisor and Head of Design Womenswear, H&M
- Nationality
- Swedish
- Career appointments
- 3
- Fashion houses
- 1
- Joined H&M: 1987, in a store roleH&M’s 2008 annual report and Johansson’s career interview describe her progression from store work. · H&M Group
- Education: Art and art history; evening classes in fashion design and pattern-makingJohansson has described continuing with evening courses alongside her early store job; no formal credential is stated. · Glamour
- Design work: Design assistant from 1990She moved from store work into H&M’s design organization. · Glamour
- Head of Design: Appointed in 2007H&M’s annual report says she was appointed Head of Design less than a year before publication. · H&M Group
- Creative Advisor: Since 2015She now combines the advisory title with Head of Design Womenswear. · H&M Group
- Current role: Creative Advisor and Head of Design WomenswearThis is H&M Group’s current public title for Johansson. · H&M Group
- 1987 — Joins H&M in a store roleHer career begins in retail while she is studying fashion.
- 1990 — Moves into H&M designJohansson becomes a design assistant after working in stores.
- 2008 — Appointed Head of DesignH&M’s 2008 annual report records her promotion.
- 2015 — Becomes Creative AdvisorShe later combines the advisory responsibility with womenswear design leadership.
- Start not documented–End not documented — Creative Advisor and Head of Design, Womenswear — H&MHistorical appointment · H&M Group
- 2013–2015 — Head of Design, New Development — H&MHistorical appointment · Glamour
- 2008–2013 — Head of Design — H&MHistorical appointment · Glamour