Just as the casualisation of officewear pioneered by Silicon Valley software bros from the late ‘80s onwards eventually trickled down into mainstream offices around the world by the turn of the century, the encompassing appeal of and demand for streetwear has infiltrated heritage German luxury fashion house Hugo Boss, prompting a brand refresh.
Focusing on captivating a more youthful audience, Boss has enlisted an all-star cast for its Boss SS22 campaign. Titled #BeYourOwnBoss, the campaign features models Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Joan Smalls, American rapper Future, international TikTok star Khaby Lame, South Korean singer and actor Lee Min Ho, British professional boxer Anthony Joshua, Italian tennis champion Matteo Berrettini, and German runner Alica Schmidt.
The campaign represents the first visual embodiment of the Boss brand refresh. After almost 50 years, Hugo Boss is introducing a new logo that takes on a bolder, more contemporary typeface and sets the tone for a younger and more global demographic. Following suit (or should we say sneakers?), are design direction, retail buys, store concepts, and omnichannel messaging which will be centred around a more playful, casual aesthetic while retaining the brand codes of dressing excellence.
The move is the most recent in a long line of heritage brands trying to tap into streetwear sensibilities (think Louis Vuitton, Bally, Givenchy et al.) and comes under the direction of new CEO Daniel Grieder, who took on the role in June 2021, following a tenure of over two decades at Tommy Hilfiger. “Ten to 15 years ago, Hugo Boss was the north star for many brands, with perfect positioning and strong relevance,” Grieder told Vogue Business. “Over the last six years, Hugo Boss has maintained its brand awareness but crucially lost its relevance in the fashion industry. Heritage is great and I realised that the potential of this brand is enormous — but we have to reframe it.”
The brand refresh also looks to differentiate the – currently somewhat unclear – brands of Hugo and Boss. The latter is aimed at millennials and follows a similar aesthetic to heritage Hugo Boss, with contemporary takes on suiting, denim, streetwear, and knitwear. Meanwhile, Hugo is catered towards Gen Z, and will feature modern tailoring, denim, and streetwear items like sneakers and bomber jackets at accessible price points. The likes of Maddie Ziegler and Adut Akech are slated to star in Hugo campaigns, with the intention of inveigling the brand to the Gen Z demographic. Reflecting the Gen Z emphasis on fluidity and individuality, the new Hugo slogan is ‘You go your own way’.
Words by John Deckard
