Cos conquers in Brooklyn with quiet drama

They say there is only one chance to make a good first impression, which Cos and its designer Karin Gustafsson certainly managed in their Brooklyn debut Tuesday lunchtime.

 
Guests ferried over from Manhattan to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a sunny cruise on a windy final morning of important shows in New York Fashion Week.
 
Based in London, Cos is the most expensive brand within the greater H&M fashion conglomerate and the only one located outside of Sweden. That was apparent in every look in this collection, which was devoid of the easy simplicity of Scandi fashion, and crammed with big city sophistication.

Gustafsson’s inspiration was Tina Bausch, visiting her work, and taking the choreographer’s ideas of movement and fluidity to incorporate them into materials. 
 
Karin cut with soft volumes, so the clothes looked a size or two too large, but her draping was so good everything looked refined and even noble as a result.
 
A round silhouette that “sort of collapses on to the body,” explained in a post-show chat inside the Agger Fish Building, a splendidly decayed warehouse on the East River.
 
Made entirely in mono-color, devoid of any prints but sculpted with panache, from the charcoal cashmere blend cloak/coats to asymmetrically hemmed black silk dresses.

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In a co-ed show, Karen showed bold, billowing undertakers’ coats; tunics paired with wide pleated pants and a deconstructed suit in matt sapphire blue that was the best suit in New York.
 
Asked to suggest Cos’ DNA, she replied: “I think we are always looking toward timelessness. But also making the person wearing them look quite effortless.”
 
Cos is very much a silhouette driven brand, designed to make clients look fashionable and elegant without mortgaging their apartment to make a purchase. It looked very at home in Brooklyn, more so than a previous show in the Manhattan Classic Car Club.
 
“Understated, considered and quiet drama,” concluded Gustafsson in her click, sing-song Viking accent.
 
In short, an excellent Brooklyn debut, even if the decision to build a whole series of coffee-hued walls inside the warehouse meant most of the time the cast was on the runway one could not see them. Besides this daft production choice, this was a bases-loaded home run, enhanced by the dramatic orchestral show music.