When Hugo Boss began his clothing factory, fashionable suits and scent were not on the agenda. Today, Hugo Boss is a well recognized international fashion empire with a group of retail outlets in 102 countries, more than 5000 stores as well as an annual turnover of more than half a billion dollars. However, it was not always so good for the man whose company started one of the world's most trendy men's clothing lines and now additionally incorporates Hugo Boss cologne along with other men's accessories.
Hugo Boss started his clothing company during 1923 in Metzingen, where it is still situated, a little 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 formed a new firm and during 1931 became a member of the Nazi party. With the the advance of Adolf Hitler in 1933, Boss's company also began to prosper as he became the official supplier of uniforms to the SA and SS guards.
With the demise of Nazism in 1945, Boss was accused of being sympathetic to the Nazi regime and was denied the permission to vote in Germany and forced to pay a fine. He died during 1948 although his business continued and in 1953, with the need for SS uniforms no more, the business turned its direction to creating suits. The timing was just right, as the male fashion industry was just establishing itself and through the 60's and 70's Boss outfits grew to be the standard for quality, fashionable menswear.
In 1985 the business was floated on the stock market as a consequence the majority shareholder is nowadays the Marzotto textile group. In 1993, precisely seventy years after it was founded, Hugo Boss launched its first fragrance, thus creating a department of the corporation which has gradually grown to be a significant area of business for the company.
Nowadays there are 2 major 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 collection of 2007. Baldessarini is now an autonomous business unit that concentrates on a more prestigious image than its 2 sister brands. It sells, like the other Hugo Boss brands, clothes, shoes, perfumes and accessories but left Hugo Boss after the Spring/Summer 2007 collection had been despatched to boutiques. This is due to the newly launched premium Boss line, Boss Black Selection, outselling Baldessarini. Baldessarini fashion was recently sold for up to 9 million euros (Aug. 2006) to Ahlers AG, a fashion brand holding company. Werner Baldessarini continues 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, shoes, sunglasses plus a range 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 In Motion EDT by Hugo Boss is Elizabeths favourite Hugo Boss fragrance.
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