As much as I appreciate the fondness for worn, rugged, and casual shared by the majority of New Yorkers, the streets seem to lack the spare and slickly tailored styles epitomised by Scandi-chic and brands like COS. In fact, despite the abundance of H&Ms, COS doesn’t even have a North American presence. Calvin Klein and Armani may have seen minimalism become the mainstay here during the 90s, but it (at least its buttoned-up, stark variant) seems to have fallen out of favour at this higher-end high-street level of the market.
So, even though I’ve never really invested much in COS, it’s with a semi-heavy heart that I pore over these shots from the COS Autumn Winter 2012 press day wayyy back in April. Quilted overshirts, lots of contrast sleeves, a heavy dose of navy, charcoal and aubergine (thrown into relief by a pop of perfect autumnal colours [chocolate, sunflower yellow and olive]).
![COS AW12: Strict form and fun. 1 532a8 cosaw121](http://malemode.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/532a8-cosaw121.jpg)
![COS AW12: Strict form and fun. 2 33683 cosaw122](http://malemode.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/33683-cosaw122.jpg)
![COS AW12: Strict form and fun. 4 4b0ce cosaw123](http://malemode.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/4b0ce-cosaw123.jpg)
![COS AW12: Strict form and fun. 5 53eb2 cosaw124](http://malemode.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/53eb2-cosaw124.jpg)
![COS AW12: Strict form and fun. 6 d270d cosaw126](http://malemode.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/d270d-cosaw126.jpg)
On an altogether tangential note, the press day venue, Dublin’s Waterways Centre, was perfectly on-brand. The combination of marine surroundings, wood-panelled interiors and leather upholstery was the ideal compliment to a collection that mixed unerring reliability and a few instances of playful luxury.
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See more from, and shop, COS (just have the heart to refrain from telling me about it)
i strongly agree, i tend to stick to my own style but whenever i go in COS i want it all and want to try new things. i do wish the mens was as interesting as the womens though.