3 Reasons to Get Excited About the New COS Store Chicago

It’s been four years since COS opened its first U.S. stores in New York and Los Angeles, and now the H&M Group-owned brand is headed to Chicago with plans to open its first Windy City store in May on Oak Street.  Finally, one of Europe’s cult brands is coming to Chi! COS is H&M Group’s high-end brand and offers modern, mature, sleek and minimal aesthetic rooted in muted colors, natural fabrics and art. Needless to say, we are thrilled to welcome COS in Chicago, and here’s why you should get excited as well:

COS Aesthetic

COS will offer the most modern and fashion-forward selection of mass appeal retail in Chicago. The unfussy and unique look of the brand gives the vibe of an understated Céline, or Jil Sander, for a fraction of the cost. But probably one of the best qualities of the brand’s aesthetic is the fact that it can be high fashion, and it can be basic. A win-win, really.  Case in point: their Spring 2018 collection, which is to.die.for. Take a note of reworked trench coats with organic soft shoulders, transparent vests, knitted sets with evolved proportions and tailored pieces with unexpected lengths and cuts. Serious chic.

Price-Conscious

Inasmuch as COS is deemed the high-end arm of H&M Group, prices are still relatively affordable. For many budget-shoppers (read: us), the brand is too good to be true: a belted, sharp, wool coat doesn’t go over $225; and $69 gets you the currently on-trend belted bag.  That’s a steal if you ask us.  But besides the price-conscious offerings, COS pays attention to quality, which is yet another reason to love the brand.

Cult Following

COS has been the best-kept secret of fashion editors since its inception in 2007, and has earned a massive US fashion industry following before it even became available stateside in 2014. A disciple of the cult of COS will be the one in the oversized gray coat, white T-shirt, tailored pants and unbranded sneakers. Sleek, minimal and androgynous  And honestly, we can’t wait for more of that in Chicago. Interestingly enough, the brand  doesn’t advertise or hold runway shows, and you’re more likely to come across it in the context of an art exhibition, like the currently going COS × Phillip K. Smith III installation at Salone del Mobile in Milan.

What do you say, Chicago? Are you excited about COS coming our way?