London-based fashion brand COS draws inspiration from contemporary culture and is recognized for its iconic wardrobe staples, elevated classics and innovative designs. Led by design director Karin Gustafsson, the COS team is committed to quality and sustainability and takes a bespoke approach to clothing, which results in unique collections that are a seamless blend of functionality and timelessness. The brand frequently revisits experimental style elements, and it uses new materials that feature the latest advances in textiles to ensure a thoughtful use of fibres, whether recycled, renewed or sustainably sourced. Alongside its main collections, COS offers seasonal Atelier lines—for both men and women—which focus on pieces that can go from day to evening and are rooted in luxury. We spoke with Gustafsson about her fashion journey, the evolution of the brand and what inspires her.

“I always knew, in a way, but it was more [when I] started making clothes when I was young. That was pretty much what I did every day after school. My mom also used to make our clothes, and I remember being in fabric shops with her and getting these small strips that I could collect and make things with.”

“It was a real eye-opener. I’m not good at drawing, so I thought it would be challenging for me to become a designer, [which] was my dream. But when I [started at the college], it was not a problem because a lot of it is work on the dress stand. And, you know, it’s about how you communicate your ideas, not [about] what media [you use], so I draped a lot, and then eventually I started to draw. [But I learned that] it’s not about the drawing; it’s about the idea.”

“One big thing is that the proportions have changed. At the beginning, they were a lot slimmer, and I think that’s really because that was what the styles of that era were. Now they’re more oversized and loose. [The brand] has always been rooted in wardrobe staples, and that has stayed the same since day one. But the biggest change is the silhouettes, really—they’re constantly evolving with time.”