London-based intimates label Cou Cou is bringing its signature blend of undone elegance to a new temporary space in NoLIta this summer, marking the brand's second U.S. retail activation. The 1,600-square-foot shop at 30 Mott Street opens Friday, offering the core collection alongside early access to upcoming summer pieces and a New York exclusive item. The interior, designed by Kat Milne, features original lithographs by John Kacere - an artist whose hyperreal depictions of lingerie-clad figures echo the sensuous, studied simplicity that defines Cou Cou's aesthetic.
Founder and creative director Rose Colcord describes the pop-up as more salon than store. The space includes a library curated by Colcord herself, book exchanges, embroidery monogramming, bra fittings, and refreshment hours - an approach that recalls the intimate, community-driven lingerie salons of early 20th-century Paris, where corsetières and clients gathered to discuss fit and craft. "What people might call 'explosive growth' has actually felt very gradual and cumulative," Colcord noted, emphasizing years of refinement and trust in a vision that predated the wider culture's embrace.
New York remains Cou Cou's strongest market, a city whose pace and energy Colcord says naturally aligns with the brand's "deeply intimate and welcoming" ethos. The Rina, Cou Cou's viral hero style inspired by ballet-off-duty references and Jane Birkin, receives its own dedicated area. Colcord revealed the piece took over two years to finalize - a testament to the labor behind its deceptively simple silhouette. As Cou Cou continues to build toward a permanent retail presence, this summer pop-up functions as both a testing ground and a gathering place, bridging the digital and physical worlds that modern lingerie lovers inhabit.
Originally reported by WWD