Wednesday, January 6, 2016

COS, A "High End" Brand From H&M, is Coming to The Shops Buckhead Atlanta

The exterior of the COS store in Toronto, Canada
New store to be one of the first in United States.

COS, which stands for Collection of Style, plans to open later this year at The Shops Buckhead Atlanta on Peachtree Road. The store will open in the wide space behind Le Bilboquet, originally intended for the ill-fated SPANX flagship retail store.  

While COS is a slight step down from the current uber luxury offerings of The Shops Buckhead Atlanta, it's not the same as having an H&M or Mango open in the project.  

Sweden-based H&M Group, owners of the popular "fast fashion" H&M retail chain, launched COS in 2007 with the intent of offering an elevated, more upscale offering.

COS, which entered the American market in 2014 with stores in New York City and Los Angeles, is described on its website "a fashion brand for women and men who want modern, functional, considered design."  

The brand is further described as "offering reinvented classics and wardrobe essentials, we create pieces that are made to last beyond the season. Traditional methods and new techniques merge to form timeless, understated collections."  

COS was reportedly launched "with the goal of creating pieces of high-end design and good quality at affordable prices."  From the looks of their ecommerce site, many of their pieces resemble items from the likes of Vince, Jil Sander and Theory.  

Men's items include leather "Derby" shoes priced at $225 and a long-sleeve waffle cotton t-shirt priced at $45.  Offerings for women include a flared long sleeve dress for $135 and wide-leg trousers for $115.  

After entering the Atlanta market in 2008, H&M today operates ten locations in Georgia including stores at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody, North Point Mall in Alpharetta and Town Center at Cobb in Kennesaw.  

Worldwide, H&M operates nearly 4,000 locations, while the COS chain has yet to pass the 150 store threshold.  

Existing domestic COS stores are located in Boston, Massachusetts on Newberry Street, Costa Mesa, California at South Coast Plaza, Los Angeles at both the Beverly Center and North Beverly Drive, and in New York on both Fifth Avenue and Spring Street.  The chain's newest location opened in Houston's River Oaks District last month.  
Have you been to a COS store?  Are you excited about the prospect of a higher end offering from the H&M brand? What is your favorite store in The Shops Buckhead Atlanta?

Please share your thoughts below.  

3 comments:

Sheila McIntosh said...

Whenever I'm in a "COS city" it's a must-go. I've been in their stores in Copenhagen, NYC, Munich and Brussels. It is one of my favorites. SO excited to hear that they're coming to Atlanta.

I wouldn't describe them as high end however. Their pricing is in line with Massimo Dutti, JCrew etc.

But their styling! It's much more austere & modern. Very clean lines, some extreme, similar to designers like Jil Sander, Helmut Lang or Ann Demeulemeester. I do wonder how they'll do here, but they will be a unique and affordable addition.

Anonymous said...

Smart move. They need to get a Uniqlo in there as well. Low price points but it drives traffic and doesn't feel cheap.

Anonymous said...

Nice. Cos means vagina in Persian (Farsi.)

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