When Hugo Boss began his outfits manufacturing facility, fashionable suits and fragrance were not on the agenda. These days, Hugo Boss is a well established universal fashion empire with a group of stores in 102 countries, more than 5000 stores and an annual revenue of over half a billion dollars. However, it was not always so good for the man whose corporation produced one of the world's most fashionable men's clothing lines and currently also incorporates Hugo Boss aftershave and other men's accessories.
Hugo Boss started his clothing company in 1923 in Metzingen, where it is even now situated, a small town south of Stuttgart, Germany. However, due to the economic conditions within Germany at the time Boss was forced into insolvency during 1930. Undeterred, Hugo started a new business and during 1931 became a member of the Nazi party. Through the progress of Adolf Hitler in 1933, Boss's business also started to flourish as he became the formal provider of uniforms to the SA and SS guards.
With the defeat of Nazism in 1945, Boss was charged with sympathy to the Nazi regime and was denied the entitlement to vote in Germany and forced to pay a fine. He died during 1948 however his company survived and in 1953, with the need for SS uniforms no more, the business turned its hand to creating suits. The timing was just right, as the male style industry was just establishing itself and through the 60's and 70's Boss outfits started to be the standard for quality, fashionable menswear.
In 1985 the company was floated on the stock market as a consequence the majority shareholder is nowadays the Marzotto textile group. In 1993, exactly 70 years after it was founded, Hugo Boss launched its initial scent, as a result making a sector of the company which has steadily developed to be an important area of business for the company.
At present there are 2 core clothing lines - Hugo Boss and Hugo. The Baldessarini brand, named after the chief designer Werner Baldessarini (who quit in 2002), was discontinued following the issue of the spring/summer compilation of 2007. Baldessarini is now a detached business division that concentrates on a more prestigious image than its 2 sister brands. It offers, like the other Hugo Boss labels, clothes, shoes, perfumes as well as accessories but left Hugo Boss after the Spring/Summer 2007 collection had been sent to boutiques. This is due to the newly released premium Boss line, Boss Black Selection, outselling Baldessarini. Baldessarini fashion was recently sold for approximately 9 million euros (Aug. 2006) to Ahlers AG, a fashion brand holding company. Werner Baldessarini will continue to design the collections; he will remain in charge of marketing.
Apart from suits, over the years Hugo Boss has branched out into shirts, ties, tuxedos, underwear, footwear, sunglasses together with a collection of mens cologne and womens fragrances.
Today's sub-brands for men include: Boss Black/Boss Black Selection, Boss Green, Boss Orange, Hugo, and Baldessarini. For women: Boss Black, Boss Orange (announced in July 2005 for Spring/Summer 2006 launch) and Hugo. Also part of the brand are Lifestyle Accessories.
All fragrance brands (Hugo, Hugo Boss and Baldessarini) are now owned by Procter & Gamble.
Author Resource:
Elizabeth Rodriguez specialises in the promotion and marketing of mens and womens fragrances and has over 20 years experience in the industry. Boss by Hugo Boss perfume for women is Elizabeths favourite Hugo Boss fragrance.