• COS is having a major moment. Lyst just named it one of the "hottest brands" of Q1.
• The London-based fashion label, owned by H&M, is known for its high-quality basics.
• Its menswear pieces and new fragrance line are boosting its appeal with shoppers.

I promise it's OK to be basic. In fact, it might even be cool.

A few months ago, I started hearing friends and colleagues regularly talk about the London-based fashion label COS, which is owned by H&M. Admittedly, I tuned them out. Its clothes looked a little too simple for me.

But I couldn't escape the brand.

Fashion influencers started raving about COS in interviews when I asked about their wardrobe staples. Then, I saw Lyst, a fashion search and shopping platform, name COS one of the "hottest brands" of Q1 this year, jumping 11 spots since its Q4 listing in 2024.

That's partially because COS is ideal for shoppers "seeking the 'quiet luxury' aesthetic without the luxury price tag," Turner Allen, a 32-year-old personal stylist, told Business Insider.

It's also because COS has done something many other brands haven't: created basic clothes that people actually want to wear.

Men and perfume: two ingredients to success

Women have long been touting COS as the ultimate aspirational luxury line. BI reporter Sam Grindell Pettyjohn described the store as "H&M's more sophisticated, socially conscious, and luxurious older sister."

Men are now coming to the same conclusion. Alex Nicoll, 29, a former Fortune 500 employee turned fashion influencer, swears by COS.

"It's really slept on for men's fashion," he told BI. "It's a good place to play around with classic silhouettes, and pieces that are a little bit more playful and different."

COS has put in the effort to attract shoppers like Nicoll.

While it's long offered classic styles like trousers and blazers, the brand is now also selling utility bags, cropped polos, and tinted sunglasses specifically for men. This appeals to current trends while remaining timeless.

Allen said that mix of "clean, approachable, and still fashion-forward" styles is key.

"It's a winning formula for men who want to elevate their style without stepping too far outside their comfort zone," he added.

The brand also reflects those styles in its marketing, from prominently displaying men on its Instagram page to making menswear a huge part of its Spring/Summer 2025 runway collection.

All the while, COS is still equally catering to the rest of its customers.

The brand's $99 barrel-leg trousers for women became an instant success this year, and most sizes are now sold out. Lyst has cited the pants as the sixth most-popular garment of Q1.

In mid-April, the brand also launched COS Perfumery, a unisex line of fragrances and candles retailing between $49 and $99.

Lyst said the scents are another factor in the brand's 44% increase in demand this year.

After all, COS shoppers no longer have to turn to brands like Byredo and Le Labo for luxury fragrances. They can buy their favorite clothes and perfume in the same online order.

Luxury clothes without high price tags

New tariffs and a potential recession are changing how people shop, and luxury lifestyle brands are already being affected.

COS, however, holds a unique spot.

It's technically a runway brand that sells luxury-adjacent garments, many of which lean into the old-money aesthetic. Its products retail between $15 for small items like socks and $1,390 for shearling-lined coats.

However, they aren't as expensive as those from retailers like The Row, Bottega Veneta, and Loewe.

COS also boasts brand ambassadors like Adrien Brody and celebrity fans like Jodie Turner-Smith. If the brand is good enough for Hollywood actors, it's golden for fashion fans.

COS clothes look and feel good, plain and simple

Nicoll said he loves COS because the brand "keeps up with trends like a fast-fashion brand would" without compromising on "materials or construction." Fashion fans on social media have said the same.

"This is like Skims but for men," TikToker @stefffanos wrote about COS T-shirts after trying them in April. Skims does sell menswear, including T-shirts.

Andrea Cheong, a fashion writer and influencer, also applauded the brand's stitching, fabric reinforcements, and thick materials in a video.

The clothing is made with a variety of classic materials like linen, denim, and wool, many of which are said to be sustainably sourced. COS also publicly shares a list of its current suppliers on its website.

That craftsmanship completes the COS fashion puzzle. With its reputation for high-quality pieces — as well as reasonable prices, coveted menswear, and timeless styles — there's nothing the brand doesn't have.

COS is trendy, unisex, and feels rich, though you don't need to be to shop the brand.

"It's a great option for shoppers who want to step off the fast-fashion hamster wheel, but still look current and put-together," Allen said.

• My daughter loves it when I buy the same clothes as her.
• Although I'm self-conscious about some of the clothing, my daughter teaches me confidence.
• Shopping together also helps bring us closer together.

When my 10-year-old daughter, Vivian, said I should get myself the same leggings as her, I arched an eyebrow.

I immediately thought of my belly and cellulite, but then I scanned the leggings displayed so perfectly on the store's table. They were so soft and colorful that each pair screamed, "You got this!"

Still, I thought those leggings looked too small and tight for my 42-year-old body, especially after having kids.

My daughter encouraged me to buy them anyway. I bought us matching black, brown, and blue leggings; mine are four sizes bigger than my daughter's.

Since then, matching clothing with her has been a way to connect in a new way I didn't expect.

Matching with my daughter has surprisingly built up my confidence

At first, I thought my daughter's sporty style with crop tops, tennis skirts, and high-waisted leggings wasn't for my curvy body type. But after I bought those leggings, I also purchased the same shirt as hers — a few sizes up.

When I put on that outfit, I felt nostalgic for when I ran track in high school — back when I felt like my best self.

When my daughter often pairs the leggings with a yellow lightweight relaxed fit top, I notice her confidence getting ready for the day. I admire her inner love and self-belief, something I had left behind years ago.

When I told my daughter I was self-conscious about my stomach in our matching shirt, she said, "Who cares?"

I wish I had her bravery. I wish I had her ability to cherish her body, to wear what she wants, and to not care what anyone thinks.

Our matching outfits also brought us closer together

As a divorced mom, wearing matching leggings and shirts with my girl is also a way to connect when we are apart.

Sometimes, my daughter will text me to tell me she is wearing a certain shirt so we can match, even though we aren't face-to-face. It squeezes my heart and makes me feel closer to her.

Similarly, when I'm shopping by myself for shirts or leggings, I text her if she wants one, too.

When we are together, going to the local mall with her has opened my eyes to the idea that it's OK to buy myself something nice and trendy, especially with her encouragement. I've found that matching some of our clothing has made shopping memorable for both of us.

I'm still working on my body image, but I'm celebrating this time

Recently, I noticed an athletic blue shirt that my daughter would love; I hesitated to buy it for myself to match. The shirt felt buttery-soft with a hint of compression, but I only thought about my stomach.

I'm not a track star in high school anymore, and I'm not as lean as I was before kids. But I thought of my daughter's smile and went for it.

When I bought her a shirt with a twist-open back, I decided to get one for myself, too. But then I told her I would probably return it because it was too tight. She said, "No, keep it. It looks good on you." I believed her.

I know matching some of our clothing is special, for now, because soon enough, she will want to go shopping at the mall without me and might not want to wear the same shirt as her mom.