(Fixes spelling error in headline)

By Luciana Magalhaes

SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Swedish fast-fashion retailer H&M opened its first physical store in Brazil on Saturday and launched online operations in the country, where it is already producing some items locally, including footwear and beachwear, an executive said.

The short-term goal is to open four stores in Sao Paulo state over the coming months, Joaquim Pereira, H&M Brazil’s country manager, said in an interview on Friday.

“This courtship with Brazil has been going on for a long time,” he added, noting that the move took years of planning.

H&M aims to compete locally, but not necessarily against Chinese brands such as Shein, which often have below-average prices, the executives said.

“In Brazil there are many national brands that a

See Full Page