Co designers Stephanie Danan and Justin Kern have an allergy to flash. That said, the new Co collection found the duo gesturing—gingerly—at flamboyance. The signature sense of discretion remained, but elements such as leopard-spot fur, embroidery, and bead embellishment tested it. A sweatshirt of burgundy-toned Persian lamb had a real sense of drama. Much of the development here was in the collection's textures—Kern and Danan played with mixing fabrics on many of their pieces, applying pony skin to a wool skirt, say, or knitting mink onto a cashmere sweater. Their partial-fur coats made particularly good use of contrasting materials. Elsewhere, there was a bit of nerve in the collection's details—the blouses with doubled collars were a standout, and the brand's staple knits featured bell-shaped sleeves or peplums. Long story short, Co threw on the bells and whistles this season—very muted, harmonious ones.
