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For Spring/Summer 2016, COS has decided to go back to basics, in a sense. The reinterpretation of classic pieces and staple fabrics are core concerns for the brand this season. Denim, for example, plays an important role, particularly in the womenswear collection. By utilizing such an everyday fabric in items such as an apron dress, that can be worn four ways, and a jumpsuit, COS demonstrates how functional pieces can translate to eveningwear. Similarly, the classic white shirt is given new life in a tunic with bell sleeves and in dresses with an origami feel. This unconventional use of fabric extends to the jewellery, with denim tightly compressed to look like a semi-precious stone.

The womenswear collection also enforces the idea that traditionally structured pieces can remain effortless. One dramatic linen silk skirt is intricately draped to create a relaxed shape. Elsewhere, a sand coat and blazer, both constructed from flowing viscose, are simplified and tweaked with dropped shoulders. This approach to craftsmanship and comfort finds its most beautiful expression in an asymmetrical backless silk dress, its smooth lines emulating the sand dunes in the work of landscape photographer Renate Aller, one of the many natural references COS draws from this season.

This spirit of reinvention flows through to the menswear collection. Box shirts and boat necks demonstrate how core garments can be revived through alternative tailoring. Traditional craftsmanship and modern textiles collide in one of the most impressive pieces from the entire collection: a translucent grey plastic mac with seams welded using a long-established technique. This industrial, yet totally organic, approach to design can also be seen in the repeated hand-drawn line print coat which takes its inspiration from the minimalist artist Jan Schoonhoven.

With this collection, COS continues to build on its ethos of luxury meets functionality. The great success of this season is the ability to produce garments that are at once light and extremely wearable, while also being truly inventive in terms of fabrication and construction.