H&M’s COS to open debut Russian store this year

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jun 28, 2018

Almost ten years after opening its first store in Russia, H&M Group is taking steps towards opening the first COS store in the country.

The group’s reinvented classics brand is expected to open at Afimoll City shopping centre in Moscow in a unit previously occupied by Forever 21, reported Russian newspaper Kommersant on Thursday.

The opening is expected to take place this year, four real estate market consultants told Kommersant.
H&M Group has 136 stores in Russia, where it first launched in 2009. But the market entry of COS has been more difficult to plan, partly due to the company’s specific unit requirements and Russia’s struggling economy, hit by tough sanctions and worldwide political isolation.

COS’ new Russian home, the Afimall City, is a top shopping and leisure destination located in the heart of the business district in Moscow. It host a range of international brands, including Gap, Lacoste, Levi’s, Marks & Spencer, Banana Republic and Mango. H&M has also a store there for its namesake brand and an additional unit for its homeware line H&M Home.

COS was launched in 2007 in London and is a more design-driven alternative to H&M Group’s signature brand. Its styles are often inspired by art and architecture, taking timeless shapes and innovative approaches. The brand regularly partners with emerging artists, studio and galleries to work on joint creative projects.