The international invasion of Australian shores continues, with two new world brands announcing their arrival this month alone.
The first, COS, is to be expected: it’s the more luxurious arm of H&M, the Swedish brand who’ve made such a splash with their introduction to the Australian market.
COS is a European cult favourite for its simplicity; it’s bought compulsively by hipper-than-you businesswomen and fashionistas who love its silhouettes and clean Nordic lines. This is not a place to find chaotic patterns or clashing prints.
COS will be putting out its first store in Melbourne (of course), at the Strand shopping centre in Elizabeth Street, and testing the waters to see who’s interested. The managing director of COS called the step ‘exciting’ and said that she “hoped that people will enjoy exploring and experiencing the brand”, but stopped short of announcing any more plans to open elsewhere.
It’s a cautious start for an already-established brand, but COS isn’t like big sister H&M; it keeps things boutique-size and focuses on exclusivity. This also means that H&M’s other partner, & Other Stories, might be coming out too – which would make Australian fashionistas very happy indeed, because &OS is pitched slightly higher than H&M in price and product, and does collaborations with edgy figures like Lykke Li.
At the other end of the scale, Urban Outfitters has announced a new partnership with Ryder Denim to collaborate on a limited-edition set of clothes for next autumn.
It’s been a two-way street: Urban Outfitters, who are the go-to store for hipster style and reclaimed denim, featured Ryder in their own stores internationally earlier this year, and it went so well they’re returning the favour.
The five pieces (they’re keeping it small-scale and exclusive) will pop up in Ryder stores and online from November, and it looks like the start of a beautiful friendship. It’s also smart for Urban Outfitters: they already ship to Australia, but by partnering with Ryder they don’t need to buy their own store space.
Ryder’s certainly very keen. “Ryder is all about vintage style and one-of-a-kind fabrics, and that struck a chord with the team at Urban Outfitters,” the head designer at Ryder said. “Together we have created a wearable range that will fit into a timeless wardrobe, inspired by the past and put together in a modern way.”
Will you be queuing up, either for COS or for Urban Outfitters at Ryder?
Images: COS and Urban Outfitters.