Cos - who is their target market?

[Whatalie]

I bought a dress in the sale at Cos. I love it and it suits me. DH loves it as it's quite fitted!! Had I seen it online on the model I would never have bought it. We then looked at the rest of their range and although some of it is lovely it just all seems quite shapeless. Quite androgynous I suppose. I just wondered who buys their clothes I suppose.

[SELondonSwede]

I am surprised at some of the comments. I have found cos one of the most flattering brands for my postnatal body.

I only buy work clothes 2 a year. Summer and winter sale. You get very flattering cos dresses for about 40-50£ in the sale and as it is a dress all you need to add is tights. Which i get in sainsburys 25% off sales.

As I am Swedish maybe the style is very close to home for me but for work you just cant beat it in my opinion.

You HAVE TO TRY IT ON, the website with their androgyn teenage body models do not give a true reflection on how ut looks...

[KristinaM]

Sans sucre -perhaps upholstery more resistant to wear? I shall look out for it

[sansucre]

Although owned by H&M, COS is actually designed in London. In fact, Rebekka Gay, the woman responsible for its launch and aesthetic has recently left and gone to GAP as creative director, so I'll be interested to see if she works her (Danish) magic there.

Somewhat amusingly, (to me at least), some of the fabrics they use for coats and jackets are upholstery fabrics by the Danish brand Kvadrat!

[screamingviolet]

Cos is a bit of a god send for someone who definitely doesnt want to go gently into that goodnight of beige/fleece/nondescript/clothing for older ladeees. I actually checked out Gransnet as I wasnt sure if I'm Mumsnet 'target market' but sadly there isnt a fashion bit and Cos didnt show up in a search! I'm over 60 and although not as willowy as I used to be I find Cos' things have a bit of designery interest and with some selective searching can turn up some really good pieces. I'm tall and have always avoided fussy details and tweeness, just makes me look ridiculous! Quality can be ho hum (avoid washing knitwear even tho it says you can on the label).

[wigglybeezer]

Aoife, that tallys with my impression of the Berlin store, to generalise wildly I did get the impression that German twentysomethings were more likely to dress in a sombre restrained style than your average New Look, Primark addict, maybe they have more disposable income..

[TheReturnoftheSmartArse]

I wish I hadn't opened this thread now. I've never bought anything from Cos - never even been in before, though there is one close to my office - but it all looks very "me". But I really should lose some weight and win the lottery before I buy anything else.

[Chewbecca]

I'm short and round and had often looked at Cos links and thought, urgh, not for me.
However, I recently went into a store for the first time and it was a revelation, liked a lot of items on the hangers and came out with a wool dress and an everyday top and both are current favourite items. I can barely locate the items on the website they look so different to they do on me.

I'll be back to the store but still will not bother with the website.

(41years, professional totally non arty job but clothes were for casual/pub type occasions)

[QueenThora]

(I'm 44 and creative career so fitting the predictions of some on this thread...)

[QueenThora]

I love cos, but only have one item of clothing (a miniskirt) and some jewellery so far - because there is no cos in my town so I have to go 50 miles, which I rarely have time to do. I find it impossible to work out what I will like from the website, you have to experiment and try it on. But I love their style. Can't wait to go again once I'm feeling time- and cash-rich.

[aoife24]

I saw women of a very wide range of ages and styles in the Copenhagen store. I agree about trying stuff on. IME, the more unlikely cuts can look good. The colours can sometimes be a bit drab and I do eschew black.

[BriarRainbowshimmer]

YY, Financeprincess. Where is all the clothing designed to flatter hourglass/pear-type bodies?

[Financeprincess]

Agree that COS clothes are on the boxy side, which is good for us tall, thin and wide of shoulder types. I like their double layer tops, which disguise my lack of waist. I think they are also tapping into the vogue for Scandinavian design, which ranges from simple/chic to geeky.

Actually, tall straight up & downers are a bit over-catered for on the high street. Karen Millen and Reiss are cut for the same shape. Not sure where you'd go if you had a pronounced waist & hips!

[williaminajetfighter]

Love Cos and think their clothes are so elegant. However being chubby and very pear shaped I look like crap in most of their stuff. Great shoes this season though!

Funny I do work in galleries but sadly the pay is so shit that most of the 'galleristas' can't afford Cos and get to rock the Primark look instead!

[KristinaM]

I'm a 50 something apple shaped person with large norks and I love Cos. I mostly buy dresses , tops, jewellery and knitwear and occasionally trousers. Most of their skirts are short and very a line which doesn't suit me.

I never wear black or prints, most of my clothes from there are navy and grey. I avoid high necks due to the norks. I've just bought a lovely purple dress . I also have the top that someone linked to up the thread

I have two of their navy dresses with sleeves which are great for work.

I agree that the shapeless dresses look much better on women with boobs. I have no hips so don't know if they work for pears.

I also agree that the website is terrible, I only buy in store. Someone on mumsnet once described the models as " zombies in lab coats"

[Littlepinkpear]

Me and I am not the target market at all. I'm 35, professional and need to be suited for work. However I'm 5ft (on a good day) pear, very very chunky legs and lots of boob.

The website is rubbish but I often take 10 - 12 things into the changing room and the jewelry is great.

I have many of their dresses and skirts, makes work a breeze and is different from the usual Zara selection in my workplace.

&otherstories is great for the same styles too

[wiltingfast]

Never heard of Dover Street Market

Also have to say disagree about it being for skinny model types, think half the reason the website looks so bad is all the ah skinny model types trying to wear the clothes.

The clothes look better on normal people imo.

[FluffyJumper]

People who wish they could afford Dover Street Market.

[Francagoestohollywood]

I agree monkeysmama, the jumpers are especially good quality and I lile bialystockandbloom dress

[monkeysmama]

I know what you mean Notaword. I'm top heavy with slim legs too and I adore Cos. I think the quality is high for the price too in comparison to other high st stores.

[bialystockandbloom]

I've always avoided Cos too, being 5'5", not being skinny, and having ample tittage, but bought this dress last week and it looks great. I veered between "shapless sack / good drapes" for a while before buying it but really glad I went for it in the end. The picture doesn't do it justice at all. Hangs really well, looks good over skinny jeans and sort of elongates me. The boat-neck flattering too. Not sack-like at all on reflection.

But I agree most of their stuff does seem made for tall, skinny androgenous types.

[Floisme]

Tweet2tweet thanks, I'll take a look there too.

[Notawordfromtheladybird]

Swoon. I vaguely heard of them and today visited the regent street branch in London. I heart you people. I'm an apple shaped/top heavy with skinny legs and can't believe how many shapeless looking tunic dresses suited & flattered. I can never usually buy dresses. More than half the stuff was 1/2 off, too.

[Francagoestohollywood]

I believe that shapeless dresses/coats are often very flattering.

[Tweet2tweet]

Floisme, I've bought some fitted things from COS. However, their sister company 'and other stories' has some great minimalist fitted things. Really good quality too.

[Floisme]

I quite like minimalist which is why I want to like Cos. But I also like things to be reasonably fitted and to show off my waist so it's the shapes that are putting me off. And the colours - everything seems to be either black or off-your-head bright. However you have convinced me to go in and give them a try the next chance I get.