I Just Saved $1200 by Shopping This Viral COS Sweater Instead of Its Designer Reference

As a fashion editor, I must admit, I love a good deal. But it can’t just be any run-of-the-mill deal. I’m talking about the kind of shopping steal that hits that rare sweet spot between quality, cut, and price. The kind of deal that feels like a secret handshake between fashion insiders. So, when fashion TikTok began buzzing about a certain COS cashmere sweater, likening it to a very high-profile designer version that has quietly sat at the top of every fashion person’s wish list, I dropped everything to investigate. Frankly, I had to see what the hype was about. Spoiler: The hype is very, very real for the COS Chunky Pure Cashmere Crew-Neck Sweater.

Technically, I ordered the navy version online the moment I saw it, but my patience lasted all of 36 hours. The buzz was too loud and the stakes were too high, so a few days before my package was even set to arrive, I made a beeline to the COS store in SoHo on my lunch break, hoping to try it on in person. Fashion emergencies happen, and in New York City, same-day gratification is a luxury of its own.

Hanging on the rack, the COS Chunky Pure Cashmere Crew-Neck Sweater in Beige immediately stood out. There’s a noticeable difference when cashmere is actually thick—the weight, the plushness, the drape. This wasn’t the flimsy, borderline see-through cashmere you often find at lower price points (of which my closet is already filled with). As a cashmere snob, I have high expectations and, with the last sweater in my size hanging discreetly at the back of the rack, I made a beeline for the fitting room.

COS Chunky Cashmere Sweater Review

Fabrication: 100% GCS‑certified (recycled) cashmere

Fit: Relaxed silhouette with dropped shoulders and wide ribbed trims at crew‑neck, cuffs & hem.

Size Range: XS–L

Price: $350 for the women’s version

The fabric is 100% certified recycled cashmere, which means it’s not only soft—it’s sustainable. It has that rich, slightly fuzzy surface texture that reads very uptown, but the relaxed silhouette makes it feel Brooklyn-appropriate too. Think: perfect for a chilly Sunday getting brunch, or layered under a trench coat for your morning walk to the F train. If you’re into an oversize fit, this one is perfect—albeit a bit too big. I sized down from my typical size of an XL due to the limited size range, and felt that the L was just oversize enough without looking too baggy or sloppy.

Although I own three beige sweaters already, this one made me almost regret ordering it in navy—the color is so luxe and went perfectly with the black jeans I was wearing that day. Typically, I find cashmere sweaters to have thinner, understated cuffs and crewnecks, so I appreciated this chunky version with wider details along my wrists and neck.

At $350, it’s not exactly an impulse buy—but it is a smart one. Its more elusive (and four-digit-priced) counterpart from that stealth-luxury label retails for somewhere around $1500, and regularly sells out before it ever hits shelves. So yes, by opting for COS, I effectively saved $1200, and got the look, feel, and quiet confidence of a designer piece that no one needs to know didn’t cost the price of my rent, and then some. That's what I call girl math.

If you’re building your fall wardrobe (or just looking for that one piece that makes your morning outfit decisions easier), I can’t recommend this sweater enough. Just do yourself a favor and don’t wait. TikTok has spoken, and COS SoHo can only restock so fast.

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