COS: the rise and rise of Scandinavian fashion house
Designers Karin Gustafsson and Martin Andersson talk about the rapid growth of the brand and the all-pervasive popularity of Scandinavian design
In a little under eight years, COS has become one of the fastest-growing fashion brands on the high street. Last week, H&M Group, which owns COS, announced strong first-quarter results, and further expansion looks on the cards for the label.
COS opened its first store on London's Regent Street in 2007; since then, the brand has opened more than 120 around the world, including three in Hong Kong. It debuted in New York stores last autumn, and plans on opening in Luxembourg and Prague by autumn. Having quietly entered Hong Kong almost three years ago, eschewing the high-fashion pomp and circumstance of launch events and celebrity associations, the brand has struck a chord with consumers looking for a chic, sophisticated alternative to the usual high street fare, at affordable prices.
The success of the London-based, yet very Scandinavian, fashion house has shaken up established rules for growth in the industry by celebrating consistency, function dictating form and sustainability. Moreover, COS has been one of the chief beneficiaries of consumers around the world seeking designer quality clothing at High Street prices.
"It's incredible how fast we've grown," says COS womenswear designer Karin Gustafsson, who began at the company in 2006 when it was merely a concept. "You know back then we were 15 people in the office and now I think we are more than 150," says Gustafsson.
Gustafsson and COS menswear designer Martin Andersson were in Hong Kong this month for the presentation of the brand's autumn-winter 2015 collection, which took place on the upper deck of Central Pier Four with a specially constructed stage and installations by architect Andre Fu. Now that the brand is firmly established in Hong Kong, Gustafsson and Andersson feel the city is ready to see a bit more of COS, encompasses more than just fashion. "We like art, design and architecture, they inspire our designs and our stores. We really believe in sharing that interest with our customers," says Gustafsson.