Geometry Mon Amour

Geometry seems to have crept upon fashion gradually, insinuating itself in designs and prints without at first causing a fuss or drawing much attention. Now it is omnipresent and one of the most characteristic and formative sources for much of the past few seasons and collections. The inspiration seems to be shared across a return to 1980’s geometric prints and lines (with a slight Mondrian twist), and the increasing influence of architecture on fashion labels.

COS is an obvious example of both these. Pioneering that signature minimalist and chic style of dressing, its faint patterns are often based on a repetition of circles, squares and triangles, whilst some of the other designs focus on a hyper-structured look, with right angles and sharp cuts featuring across the board. In terms of brand, COS is unique in that it is utterly self-conscious both of its customers and its influences – branding is one of its selling points. The COS ?Things? section on their website is one of the best reads for anyone interested in architecture, graphic design, illustration and fashion. By linking to a number of websites of artists and design companies, indicating them as worthy entities as well as inspirations, it aligns itself with the design revolution that is taking place. It sets fashion on par with these currently creatively booming areas, removing itself from the purely aesthetic and raising itself to the intellectual. COS knows that its customers want to enjoy clothes on two levels – an aesthetic one, and an ideological one. The websites and inspirations listed, as well as the clothes themselves, are a testament to the recognized appreciation consumers have for their wardrobe to assimilate their taste in fine art, architecture, and design as well as in lifestyle.

The result is that the shapes that populate architecture, graphic design and drawing have spread themselves across fashion as though it were a blank canvas fit for a painting. Our 16 year-old selves wouldn’t believe it – but we love geometry.

Concrete Collar is a brilliant Irish blog that encapsulates the relationship between fashion and architecture

To see the COS Things section go here

Roisin Agnew @Roxeenna