Cos channels brutalist style to muscle in on New York fashion week

The headline act on day four of New York fashion week had all the hallmarks of a designer catwalk, including a pulsating soundtrack and a front row peppered with film stars. However, there was a twist. Instead of a luxury brand staging the show, it was the high street label Cos.

- Chloe Mac Donnell

The Swedish chain, founded in 2007 by the H&M group, welcomed guests including the British actors Jodie Turner-Smith and Naomi Watts as well as the singer Lauryn Hill to a former rope factory in Brooklyn.

The brand had erected a vast cracked-concrete catwalk around which were rows of steel benches. The brutalist style extended to the clothing, with a colour palette of metal greys and charcoal.

Oversized coats ranging from cashmere to leather were tightly cinched with skinny belts. Trousers pooled around glove-like leather shoes, while lapels on shirts and jumpers were knife sharp.

Sandwiched between heritage American brands such as Ralph Lauren and Coach, the appearance of Cos on the schedule on Sunday reflects a wider attempt by the high street to move beyond its fast fashion reputation.