Why you shouldn’t miss the COS show during New York Fashion Week?

For the third consecutive time in its fashion history, COS joins the official New York Fashion Week calendar to present its fall/winter 2024 mainline and Atelier collections in a memorable double show. Unveiled this Tuesday, September 10, the show was held in a vast historic warehouse in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and praised the minimalist DNA of the English brand through 43 women’s and men’s silhouettes.

If the main line was intended to be a contemporary ode to nature with its play of materials, its dominant earthy tones, its cow print right on trend at the moment and its vibrant touches of green, the collection COS Workshop was inspired by the elegance of dance and the fluidity of its movements. Two distinct inspirations, but with a common denominator – chic minimalism -, as Karin Gustafsson tells us in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the show.

COS Fall-Winter: Behind the scenes of the double collection told by Karin Gustafsson

On one side, a comforting wardrobe, punctuated by authenticity, wearable pieces and statement accessories, on the other a tailoring line, where softened shapes meet superpositions and drapes to allow the clothes to come to life and create unique shapes. All in all? A 2-in-1 show thought up and explained by the brand’s Design Director, Karin Gustafsson.

What are the inspirations for this fall-winter 2024 collection?

We were inspired by the famous dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch and her expressive movements that resemble tornadoes. That was really our initial idea. But as we created the collection, we wanted to gently tone down the tailored cuts with rounded volumes and light materials, to add a delicate dimension, a feeling of weightlessness.

COS will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary, how would you say the brand has evolved over the years in your opinion?

It’s a real journey, that’s true. I would say that since the beginning, we try to focus on style before fashion and on the garment and the collections rather than on the show locations and such… The fashion industry is constantly changing and of course, we have also changed to adapt. But above all, I think that despite the way the brand evolves, we want to stay true to these fashion values.

After shows in London, Paris and Rome in previous seasons, you are returning to New York, the location of your very first show. Is this a return to the roots and essence of what the brand is?

Yes, this is our third time in New York this season and I think this city is so interesting: it is international, versatile, but also very artistic, creative, vibrant and it echoes a particular connection to the aesthetic of the brand.

For two years now, COS has been a staple of the Fashion Week fashion calendar, how does it resonate for you to be present on the catwalks?

It’s really fundamental for me, to parade and to be able to present our creations and transmit a feeling. It changes everything to see the clothes move, to be able to discover them up close, in motion…

The creation of the Atelier collection is one of the brand’s key moments. Can you tell us a little more about its history?

This is a project that we thought about working on to elevate our daily creations and give them a much more impactful and dressed resonance. We had a workshop in our premises and wanted to exploit it to the maximum to elevate our products, offer more craftsmanship and unrivaled quality.

How does it differ from the main collection? Is it intended for all of the brand’s customers?

I think the real difference is this feeling of “dressed up”. It’s a more luxurious, more dressed-up wardrobe and we work with more noble materials and techniques that bring real added value to the pieces. Ultimately, these are lines each intended for different customers, depending on their desires.

What do you think the next ten years of COS will be like?

I would say that the future is promising: we want to continue improving what we do today, that is, continue working with important players in fashion to offer exceptional quality and timeless style.

A selection of pieces from the collection is available immediately in stores COS and on cos.com, with limited edition models that will be added throughout the season. The line COS ATELIER will be available from October.