Karin Gustafsson Unveils this Year’s “New Look” at the COS Autumn-Winter Show

COS returns to New York Fashion Week with an ode to refined and relevant design

In New York, the industrial interiors of the Greenport Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn were transformed into a symmetrical and white-masked stage for COS’ Autumn-Winter 2025 show. Ornamented by boxes of light shifting from amber to pale hues, creative director Karin Gustafsson took to resonate her understanding of real-world dressing with the structured tailoring of the New Look wave from the 1950s.

The first few looks that walked the runway set the tone of the collection’s “Dark Romance” theme by introducing a palette of darkened navy and brown, jet black, and slate gray, with elements of nude plaid for contrast. 

The 47-look ensemble’s visual references were also showcased respectively between its menswear and womenswear lines: the former opting to soften classic Americana codes with oversized outerwear and layered knitwear, while the latter subtly emphasizes the feminine silhouette through raised and widened necklines, belted waists, and silk dresses.

While the collection’s interplay of textures and materials allowed each look to detail Gustafsson’s sensibilities for proportion and color balance, its series of accessories also echoes such qualities, be it from leather clutch purses and sock boots to suede trainers and messenger bags.

Through its Autumn-Winter 2025 collection, COS and Gustafsson continue to adapt their understated approach to blending contemporary silhouettes with the enduring codes of heritage fashion design, creating garments that allow the wearer to elevate their wardrobe without sacrificing functionality.