Who is the COS customer?

I don’t like to prescribe a specific customer, though I think the COS customer is someone who looks for quality and shares our interest and appreciation in art and design. I think that our longstanding customers know that they can come to COS and feel a sense of familiarity whilst always finding something new.

When designing a new collection, where do you look to for inspiration?

We draw a lot of inspiration from architecture, which can often be seen throughout our collections, either from the colour palette or the way pieces are draped and crafted into clean lines and structures. We also look to art and design, both the visual output and the working methods and creative approaches used.

What is your process when designing a collection?

After working with the design teams and deciding on our final inspirations, we begin to create the garments. I like to be able to see the design and shape of a garment immediately, so prefer to work directly on the form. This also allows us to play with our inspirations and develop these directly into our products.

Engagement with the design and art sphere is an important part of the COS brand, including collaborations with artists and designers, including Nendo and Numen. What part do these projects and activations play in forming the design aesthetic and vision? Do you have a favourite?

We feel an aesthetic kinship to all the artists we commission. They are creatives that have enhanced the way we work in some way and share a set of values with COS, inspiring everything from colourways to textures and form. Our collaborations have been inspiring in such diverse ways, so it is hard to choose any favourites, but I loved the way we were able to reuse the COS x Studio Swine New Spring installation, presenting it in not only Milan but Miami and Shanghai – each time evolving slightly and taking on the natural environment it was showcased in.