COS Autumn/Winter 2025: A Guide to Balanced Minimalism

By Louise Daniel

Minimalism refuses to be left behind in fashion’s endless pursuit of novelty. Often regarded as the industry’s default uniform, the question lingers: how much of minimalism can we truly reinvent? Karin Gustafsson offers her answer through COS Fall/Winter 2025, aptly titled Dark Romance—a presentation of forty-seven polished looks that expand upon the brand’s defining principles of restraint and refinement. 

For the uninitiated, COS—an acronym for “Collection of Style”—sits under the H&M Group umbrella yet has carved its own niche through a Scandinavian-informed approach to design. Rooted in timelessness, the brand’s cult following has looked to COS to deliver garments that are chic, considered, and accessible without compromising refinement. Staged at the Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn, the show felt like a quiet ode to the energy of New York City, aligning seamlessly with the brand’s return to NYFW. The crowd reflected the city’s cultural gravitas—Christopher Briney, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Naomi Watts among those in attendance. 

The opening look set the mood: an inky blue ensemble with an almost off-the-shoulder neckline, a sleek gesture of romantic minimalism. Neutrals will never be out of fashion, they say. From there, Gustafsson reaffirmed the COS palette. Neutrals—black, navy, steel grey, and rich brown—formed the foundation, with surprise injections of plaid offering subtle disruption to the monochrome rhythm of the runway. Yet despite its minimal nature, the collection was far from one-dimensional. It thrived in contrasts—fluidity against structure, seriousness offset by playful detail. Tailoring revealed a dialogue with the season’s broader movement: fashion that remains artful and functional. 

COS Autumn/Winter 2025: Looks 7, 23, 37, 44 (Images courtesy of COS)

The decision to present in New York was deliberate. COS has always resonated with the rhythm of the world’s great cities—whether London, Stockholm, or now Brooklyn—offering its wearers a modern-day uniform. At its core, COS clothes are a kind of chic armor: sophisticated, understated, and deeply attuned to the lives of those who move through urban landscapes with confidence. 

At this point, there are brands that occupy a discerning space in the market. Their collections serve as continual extensions of their wearer’s character. Breaking through the fashion ceiling was never the point. Rather, it is about offering an elevated version of wardrobe classics—uniforms redefined through subtle details and uncompromising quality. With Dark Romance, COS makes clear that it is ready to dominate that space.

Backstage at the COS Autumn/Winter 2025 show held during NYFW (Images courtesy of COS)