Cos makes its first foray into the wholesale market in its 15-year history.
On Thursday, the H&M Group-owned fashion brand announced that it will launch its fall ’22 season online in collaboration with Nordstrom in the U.S., Breuninger in Germany and Yoox worldwide.
The expansion marks the next step in the brand’s growth strategy, the company said in a statement. “The availability of Cos on more channels helps achieve the goal of ‘where customers are located’ and continues to build greater brand awareness,” the company noted in a Thursday release. It went on to say that if proven Success, the launch will offer “huge potential” for further growth.
In a statement, Cos managing director Lea Rytz Goldman said expanding into the wholesale market had been “discussed for some time” but now felt like the time was right. “We know the retail landscape is changing and we need to cater to our new and existing customers beyond the channels we have by partnering with best-in-class multi-brand retailers that complement our DNA,” Goldman said. “This will allow us to engage and motivate customers in more places.”
As for the brand’s debut at Nordstrom, Cos said that following its New York Fashion Week debut in September, the partner will launch its menswear and womenswear collections at the retailer’s flagship store on New York City’s 57th Street. The brand will also be available at Nordstrom stores in Westchester, New York and Roosevelt Field; and Paramus, New Jersey
FN has contacted Nordstrom for comment.
Nordstrom’s new Cos deal fits with the Seattle-based retailer’s focus on growing its merchandise model. During the first-quarter earnings call in May, President and Chief Brand Officer Pete Nordstrom said the company’s goal is to improve customer choice while increasing relevance. The division, known internally as an “alternative partnership model,” accounted for 12% of Nordstrom’s banner GMV in the first quarter, as it aims to continue offering freshness and choice by partnering with brands in new ways that go beyond the traditional wholesale model.
One of Nordstrom’s most recent “alternative” partnerships is an expanded deal with Asos. In May, Nordstrom opened a two-story, 20,000-square-foot Asos x Nordstrom store in The Grove in Los Angeles with experiential elements and associated brands. The opening follows the brand’s rollout at 10 stores including Nordstrom NYC, Nordstrom Men’s Store NYC, Nordstrom Michigan Avenue, Nordstrom Aventura and Nordstrom Scottsdale Fashion Square.
The retailer also further committed to a partnership with Allbirds. In May, Nordstrom announced that Allbirds would be available in 14 of its stores nationwide. Some of the stores receiving the line include locations in New York City; downtown Seattle; Palo Alto, California; Century City, Los Angeles; Houston Plaza; and the Tysons Corner Center in Tysons Corner, Virginia.
Earlier this month, Nordstrom teamed up again with Allbirds for a five-week Center Stage pop-up at the department store’s New York flagship.
Cos first opened on London’s Regent Street in 2007 before launching its online store in 2011. Since then, the fashion brand has grown to 267 own stores, covering 47 brick-and-mortar and 38 online markets.
