I Tried On COS’s Entire Spring 2026 Runway Collection
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Unlike most brands’ runway collections, COS makes all its looks available online as soon as the models have finished walking. Late last week, I had the opportunity to try on almost every men’s sample from COS’sspring-summer 2026 collection, fresh off the plane from its runway debut in Seoul. The clothes hadn’t even been dry-cleaned — and some still reeked of nervous-model sweat — yet much of the collection was already close to selling out.
Although everything looked pretty much as it did in footage on the website from the original show, the materials often felt strange or off-putting against my skin. From stiff, scratchy linens to papery leathers, these materials were chosen for their structural characteristics rather than their wearability, lending the garments a costumelike quality. This makes sense for a runway show, less so for a person’s closet. That said, I was impressed with the craftsmanship of each article and found many pieces I wouldn’t mind owning myself. Despite dwindling inventory, I was told that a small restock is expected in the coming days, but after that it’s done for good. So if you see anything you like, set those alerts and be ready to pounce when the email comes.
For reference, I am six-foot-two and wear a 38R jacket with 30-by-32-inch pants. All pictured tops are a size medium (or equivalent), and bottoms are a 32-inch waist.
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This feels like a cop-out, but the one piece I took home with me on the spot was the tank top. I liked how the wider shoulder straps and tapered body make it feel more like a shirt than an undershirt. It’s ideal for layering under a lot of the collection’s short-sleeved jackets.
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I also loved how this short-sleeved leather jacket looked unbuttoned. I’d tried it closed with a different outfit, and the papery leather made me feel as though I were being stuffed into one of those ecofriendly mailer bags made from recycled cardboard.
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These pleated pants aren’t technically from the runway, but I liked how the heavier drape of the cotton cloth provided a compelling contrast to the stiff leather. (The runway versions of this pant were made from a thinner, flowier material that left me feeling a bit too exposed.)
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I enjoyed this playful twist on formalwear, which is basically a three-button blazer sans lapels. Although I wish I could’ve tried it on with thematching pants.
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These tailored, pleated shorts are meant to be part of the same set as the collarless blazer, but they’re unlined, so they look pretty different. They would be fun on their own with the tank top from above or even just an oversize graphic tee and a nice belt.
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I don’t think I’m a square frames kind of guy, and these lightly tinted metal sunglasses only confirm that suspicion. However, they’re well made for the price and fit securely on my low-bridge nose.
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This pure-silk shirt is a pretty good value for the price, and it feels as soft as it looks. I’ve seen similar designs go for much more.
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This bucket bag felt like it was made from a similar material as that of the leather jackets I tried on, but its stiff, papery texture felt more appropriate for a bag. It holds its shape nicely, even when it’s not full of stuff.
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I admired the construction quality of this short-sleeved jacket and its angular silhouette but abhorred how the scratchy linen-wool blend felt against my skin.
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The matching, partially lined, creased-front pants were more comfortable, especially with the semi-elasticized waistband. They’re basically a dressier pair ofpull-on pants.
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I don’t hate how thissuit jacketfits, and I think the covered placket for the bottom button is an interesting detail. I just don’t know why the brand decided to pair it with slim-fitting pants.
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Unlike with, say, jeans or chinos, I’m not opposed to a slim-cut dress trouser. The problem is that it’s been paired with a boxy jacket to make a silhouette that looks as if it were pulled from the set ofJoker.
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These flexible, minimalist shoes are either loafer-shaped slippers or slipper-shaped loafers, depending on which way you look at them. Neither is worth the $289 asking price, considering apair of Sabahswould cost much less and feel more durable. Size up if you plan to wear them with socks.
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I liked the shape and drape of this flowy belted car coat. But tying the belt bisects the pockets, rendering them inaccessible, which feels more like a mistake than an intentional design flourish. (No wonder the modelwalked with it untied.) The loops fell at my hip, not my waist, so there was definitely room to raise them a bit. Not sure what happened there.
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Wearing this stiff leather jacket made me look and feel like a baked potato covered in crinkly foil. I’m withholding the picture of it fully zipped up.
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I really wanted to love these wide, flowy pants, which were the highlight of the runway show for me. But upon putting them on, I noticed that the way the crotch drapes against the front of my pelvis leaves little to the imagination.
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I really liked this crisp, structured cotton shirt with a glasses-holder sewn into the middle of its covered placket. Then multiple people pointed out that it looks just like a UPS uniform, and I couldn’t unsee it.
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