It feels a little strange to feature the in-house magazine of COS – itself a subsidiary of fast fashion behemoth H&M, an identity that is neatly hidden behind COS’s cozy Swedish home brand image – as alternative in print. But then again, it does very much stand out against the plethora of branded titles that are all too often little more than thinly veiled catalogues. As is COS magazine, but it is done so well that it also works as a magazine you actually enjoy reading. Which comes as no surprise when you check the masthead, sporting the team behind Fantastic Man and The Gentlewoman as the minds behind COS magazine. And indeed, it features a similar mixture of light interviews, entertaining features and curious trivia, all delivered with the same obsession for detail and that familiar signature charme that seems to come so effortlessly to them. It works rather well with COS’ beige minimalism and proves the point that branded titles can actually be intelligent, not least due to the splendid design by Veronica Ditting that even, dare we say it, surpasses her work as art director for The Gentlewoman.
