COS has always been known for its artistic collaborations, but this year, the brand marked its first foray into dance or choreographed art for its Soma capsule collection of 17
menswear essentials which was presented in an explorative and contemporary performance during the 94th edition of Pitti Uomo.
Choreographed by Wayne McGregor, nine dancers from his Company moved through the Istituto degli Innocenti in Florence to express the unconscious and unintentional everyday movements formed the starting point for the collection.
From the roll of a sleeve, the way a collar catches at the neck, fabric brushing against skin, fingers tugging at a cuff absentmindedly – gestures which alter how clothes sit on the
body. Seemingly commonplace actions are reimagined in the choreography and within the
collection itself, where elements such as cuffs or pockets are subverted to engage with the
way the wearer moves. To compliment the considered designs, the colour palette has been
narrowed to white, navy and grey melange. Each style encapsulates the COS aesthetic:
wearable and versatile, while quietly inventive.
By bringing these movements to life through dance, the design process is explored and
function is brought to the forefront. Soma is a collaboration that investigates our considered approach to every collection.
“Everyday movements of clothes on the body were the starting point for Soma, and it has
been an honour to see the collection come to life at Pitti Uomo through choreography,” stated Karin Gustafsson, COS Creative Director. Soma encapsulates the core COS aesthetic and values, using traditional methods and new techniques to form an understated collection, designed for longevity. View the 17-piece capsule collection below.
“Soma examines the organic connection and physical fluency between the garment, the everyday movement of the wearer, the elements present the natural environment, and which have inspired and form part of the musical score. My choreography, performed by the dancers, the movement which is both familiar and unfamiliar, light, inventive and playful, but in its essence – simplicity. Soma is of the body, of nature, of being human,” McGregor explained.
The performance is available to watch on cosstores.com. The collection will be available to
buy in the COS Florence store at Via della Spada, 1 from 6pm on the 13th of June and then available online internationally on all COS e-commerce sites in Europe, USA and South
Korea on the 6th of September.
Read also: COS To Show Soma At Pitti Uomo 94
