Any woman who lives in Europe I consider to be very, very, lucky. Not because of their close proximity to all things wonderful like Laduree, Liberty and Le Tour Eiffel. Not because of their superior fashion industry and victory over the genetic lottery. Not even because of their menfolk's predilection to stunning, almost model-esque levels of beauty (alright, maybe a little of the last). No, the real reason I'm jealous of those damn European women have the best high street. They have COS. COS is the most beautiful, most incredible, most wonderful high street store in the world. I love it. COS is a branch of H&M that focuses on cut and line, making great, wearable clothes with interesting design quirks. They are a minimalist's dream - mostly their clothes revolve around the colour palette of white, black, grey and navy (oh! they do a good navy), but this season have injected some lustworthy camels and emerald greens into the picture. I discovered them on my post HSC trip to Europe way back in early 2009, and it was love at first sight. Even then, in the midst of my MarniMania (as I like to term my 2008/9 fashion heyday) I fell in love with their clothes. I bought a beautiful, raw crystal necklace from there that I loved with all my heart. I have the classic COS tee - a drapey cowl neck in a milky cream the colour of Isabel Marant jacket's lining - that goes with everything in my wardrobe for some inexplicable reason. COS is a great high street store in that, even though it is a chain, it's not really a high street store at all. Sandwiched on Regent St in London in between Liberty and Banana Republic, COS treads that fine line between the high street and high fashion - at once both able to faithfully reproduce trends and big ticket items as well as forge a niche market for themselves as a purveyor of high quality clothes at reasonably - if not low - prices. And they do a damn good sale.
caroline's mode
If I was in Europe right now this is what I would be buying. This beautiful COS jacket is a bloody good copy of the Burberry original - as seen on Yasmin - and others at fashion week. It is a classic pea-coat shape but with the zips undone at the waist it becomes something remarkable. COS is a dab hand at bringing a little bit of luxury to the high street, and I know i'm judging from pictures, but there is no mistaking the heavy, woollen swagger of the coat, the silver-y sheen of that zipper, the double facing and exposed stitching on the colour. Living in Australia where the high street is more often that not cheap and tacky imitations of the more ridiculous trends like technicolour fluoro raver or clog-tastic mania, it is so refreshing to find a high street retailer who isn't so much trend driven as trend influenced or even, dare I say it, trend maker.
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