COS opens first U.S. store in Beverly Hills

The first U.S. outpost of London-based, minimalist-meets-cheap chic brand COS opens Thursday at noon in Beverly Hills, in the Beverly Drive space formerly occupied by Banana Republic.

The massive, 5,683-square-foot space has lots of natural light, an open, gallerylike Scandinavian/L.A. feel and midcentury modern furnishings. The store features women’s, men’s and children’s clothing and accessories across two floors.

Long a must-shop for fashion editors traveling to Europe, COS offers modern clothing with clean lines and utilitarian details. It’s akin to Marni and Celine, but with most pieces priced at less than $500. And it has a very unbranded look just when many people are looking for a quieter, more basic style.

“We like to work with new finishes and cuts and many of the pieces are very tactile,” says Karin Gustafsson, head of women’s design for COS. “We’re also very interested in reinventing functional details.”

Many of the looks in store for fall have playful proportions, sculptural shapes or fuzzy fabrications, such as a sweat shirt with a curly wool melange front ($89); crisp cotton button-down shirt with halter neck and open back ($89); silvery, faux fur, raglan-sleeve jacket ($135); oversized wool coat with kimono sleeves ($275); cropped and rounded light gray wool trousers ($125); and an abstract blue-and-green print dress with a front raised hem ($115).

Accessories include a modern-looking silver coil necklace ($45), geometric-shaped black leather cross-body bag ($175), soft gray leather backpack ($175) and leather mittens ($69).

Men’s looks include a navy blue nylon flight jacket with a detachable teddy collar ($275), a clean front shirt with contrast collar ($115), felted wool trousers ($125) and zip-up Chelsea boots with a crepe sole ($225).

COS launched in 2007 with a flagship store on London’s Regent Street and now has 105 stores in 22 countries.

Part of the Swedish-owned H&M Group, COS was founded on the same democratic business concept of fashion and quality at a price, but COS’ prices start where H&M’s end.

New pieces will arrive in store every week.

COS, 357 N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 734-3472. Open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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