“The space had a grand[ness to it], but at the same time, had that contrast of feeling unfinished and raw,” COS design director, Karin Gustafsson, tells me on the day after the Stockholm-based brand’s S/S 25 show. The collection’s debut took place inside Dionyssomarble Quarry, a cavernous marble structure in Dionyssos, Greece, a short drive from Athens, and was attended by tastemakers like Tamu McPherson and Lucy Williams, as well as A-list talent, including Adrien Brody and Jodie Turner-Smith.
According to Gustafsson, the collection was initially inspired by Renaissance paintings and the way they are both grandiose and muted in color. COS being a brand rooted in minimalism and wearability, Gustafsson challenged herself to maintain its codes while also playing with the extravagance of the Renaissance era. “We really liked the idea of extreme masculinity and extreme femininity, skin, and the draping of materials,” she says. “And then, of course, we married that with COS, which is more refined and considered and understated.” Finding a venue that mirrored this vision was no easy feat, but Gustafsson’s team persevered, landing on Dionyssomarble Quarry, the sole producer of the same marble stone used by ancient Athenians to sculpt the Parthenon and the Erechtheion on the Acropolis. “When it came up, it felt quite natural,” Gustafsson says. Awe-inspiring and lavish while also stark and undone, the quarry was a perfect fit for the clothes presented inside it.
To see and shop COS’s S/S 25 collection, keep scrolling. Below, you’ll find its buzziest buys and more on the memorable show.
What a Venue
Runway show venues that truly shock, awe, and surprise don’t come around as often as you might think. Though a small handful brands—think Jacquemus and Saint Laurent—have a tendency to go above and beyond when it comes to location scouting, many prefer to stick to routine spaces, using props to make them feel special season after season. With that in mind, you can imagine just how impressive COS’s Grecian show venue was. Photos don’t do it justice—trust me. The space, carved inside a sea of white marble, was truly otherworldly, causing every attendee to look around in wonder and amazement. That is, until the sound of heels on marble emanated from somewhere in the distance and models dressed in pastel pink, slate gray, and white emerged from behind a high-up wall of stone. At that point, everyone’s attention turned to the S/S 25 collection, which was just as all-consuming as the space it debuted in.
Guests in Greece
In addition to plenty of influential online personalities, COS hosted some of Hollywood’s biggest stars in Athens for its S/S 25 show. The Brutalist‘s Adrien Brody likely felt at home in the venue after shooting in an Italian quarry for the Golden Globe-winning film. Brody was the star of COS’s S/S 25 campaign, making his attendance at the show even more impactful. Also in attendance were Sharon Stone, Gemma Chan, and Jodie Turner-Smith, who arrived wearing one of the collection’s most talked-about looks, featuring a pair of slate-gray bloomers and a funnel-neck suede anorak.
(Image credit: Courtesy of COS)
The New Renaissance
“Our starting point was looking toward Renaissance paintings,” says Gustafsson about the S/S 25 collection. “We gave ourselves a working title of The New Renaissance.” According to her, COS doesn’t usually look this far back for inspiration, but her team was very intrigued by artwork from the era and decided to try and combine the feelings that pieces from the time evoke with COS’s more pared-back aesthetic. “The colors were really important,” she tells me. “If you look at these old paintings, there’s so much color there, but nothing is shouting. There’s almost a filter on top of it.” She also looked at objects and silhouettes from the Renaissance era, using them to determine the shapes the collection’s garments would take on. According to Gustafsson, who’s been with the brand COS since its inception in 2006, the key to innovating season after season is “being on top of inspiration,” whilst always holding onto COS’s identity.
(Image credit: Courtesy of COS)
(Image credit: Courtesy of COS)
(Image credit: Courtesy of COS)
Buzzy Buys
The best part about COS’s show—apart from the star-studded front row and location, of course—was the fact that practically every piece from the collection is already available to purchase, including some of its buzziest buys. Sporty jackets, bloomers, and sock boots were among the items attendees couldn’t stop talking about post-show, with many using up their international data to draft COS orders before their favorite items sold out. (The bloomers already did, though I’m personally crossing my fingers that they’ll be restocked.) Plus, as we venture further into spring, more pieces will be added to COS’s website, including the sought-after jelly fisherman sandals and ballet flats that debuted in the quarry earlier this week.
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Half-Zip Blouson Shirt
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Deconstructed Open-Back Wool Top
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Suede Drawstring Tote Bag
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Attached Layered Fine Cashmere Cardigan
