INTERVIEW BY MEREDITH CRAIG DE PIETRO
PHOTOS BY CHRIS SHONTING
STYLIST: Annette Lamothe-Ramos, PHOTO ASSISTANT: Matt McGinley, MAKEUP: Emi Kaneko,
HAIR: Brandy McDonald, MODELS: Katrina, Rouza, Melissa at Elite; Bettine at Muse

Fat Albert The Cosby Show Vice: How did your work first catch the eye of the Cos?

Koos: Just like that?
was It all seems very easy.
Did you ever watch the show?
I’m surprised to hear that he only began wearing the sweaters well after the show first aired. Your sweaters are such an indelible piece of the Heathcliff character that it seems deliberate.
Was your work ultimately commissioned by the network?
Business wasn’t lucrative even with your Madison Avenue store?
Well, there’s no denying that you helped each other tremendously.
Mrs. Cosby tried to steal you for her own?
A house chock-full of Kooses? Sounds like a dream palace.
And by that time you’d been a designer for years. You’d already apprenticed at Dior and built a business in New York.
At heart, you’re a collage maker. What inspired you to take this direction?
Pre-Cos, how was New York treating you?
New York Times And now everyone’s biting Koos.
Vogue The press was oblivious?
Look at all the designers you’ve influenced. That must be reassuring.
Women’s Wear Daily Your popularity certainly comes in cycles.
New York Times I read that!
Was he complimentary?
Have your fans have remained loyal?
Is what you do couture?
You seem pretty adamantly opposed to couture.
djellabas Still, one-of-a-kind garments are obviously important to you. The sweaters you made for Bill were unique, right?
How many did you stitch together for him over the years?
I’ll say! At what point do you think it became the Cosby sweater?
And then things must have picked up quite a bit. How did you find time for it all?
You’re in there designing with the kids every day?
Don’t say that!
Does anything stand out as your proudest achievement?
Still, a Dior apprenticeship…
But look at all you’ve done despite those old bitches!
So you hold no regrets and no grudges?
Do you think you’ll ever retire?
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