Pioneering the Americas: COS’s First Sustainable Store Concept Takes Root
COS has unveiled its inaugural Mexican flagship store located at Antara Fashion Hall in Polanco, Mexico City. This establishment marks the first in the Americas to embrace COS’s innovative sustainable store concept. Created in-house and supported by experts in sustainability, interior design, and circular store environments, the store offers an immersive and inviting ambiance through skillful spatial arrangements, captivating use of light, and an array of colors.
The store’s design aligns with COS’s commitment to minimizing CO2 emissions and prolonging the lifecycle of interior elements. To this end, the 486m² space integrates conscientious materials throughout. Bamboo wood fixtures, selected for their renewable characteristics and superior CO2-absorbing properties, replace traditional hardwoods. In a nod to sustainability, the rails are crafted from aluminum, an infinitely recyclable material, and incorporate 30% recycled content.
Combining Mexico’s rich heritage of artisanal crafts with innovative sustainable designs, the interior features warm tones that evoke the country’s iconic cornfields and their cultural significance. Reflecting COS’s admiration for contemporary culture, the store provides an ideal backdrop for showcasing the brand’s seasonal collections. Artworks and collaborations from a diverse community of artists and designers also enrich the space.
The store proudly presents creations by Caralarga, a local, female-led enterprise that shares COS’s dedication to sustainability and women’s empowerment. Caralarga’s three distinctive designs celebrate traditional thread weaving techniques, underscoring the natural beauty of raw materials while actively contributing to waste reduction by preventing material disposal in landfills.
Local artisan works are integrated seamlessly throughout the store—pieces like Daniel Orozco’s versatile Totem side tables and Jorge Arturo Ibarra’s Dorcia Daybed showcase Mexican craftsmanship. The store also features designs from international artists, such as LA-based Sam Klemick’s Otherside Objects and bespoke papier-mâché tables by Paper Factor from Lecce and New York.
Coinciding with the launch, the Polanco store showcases COS’s Spring Summer 2023 menswear and womenswear collections and an exclusive collaboration with artist Stephen Doherty, debuting on August 5, 2023.
Photos | Cortesy COS by Fernando Marroquin