H&M’s COS enters wholesale market

COS, a subsidiary of the H&M group, is entering the wholesale business. From this autumn, the premium brand can be found at Nordstrom (United States), Breuninger (Germany) and Yoox (online).

“Meeting customers where they are”

For the first time, the COS brand is expanding into the wholesale channel. Until now, the brand was only distributed through own retail. The expansion into wholesale has been in the pipeline for a while, and now the timing feels right, says Managing Director Lea Rytz Goldman.

“We know the retail landscape is changing and we need to meet our customers – new and existing – beyond our owned channels, by partnering with best-in-class multi-brand retailers who complement our DNA. This will enable us to engage and inspire customers in more places,” says Rytz Goldman. As part of the brand’s growth strategy, wholesale sales should allow to “meet customers where they are” and build greater brand awareness.

COS will launch with three major retail partners: US department store chain Nordstrom, German department store group Breuninger and international luxury platform Yoox. Nordstrom will be the first to launch COS online and in four shops in New York and New Jersey on 13 September, at the same time as the brand’s debut at New York Fashion Week.