Y
ou don’t need
a hashtag to
know that it’s
been a man’s
world for far
too long, but
Ingo Wilts is
doing his best
to change that at Hugo Boss. The
creative director at the German
brand synonymous with
immaculately tailored men’s suiting
since 1924 has been on an urgent
mission to discover, understand
and dress the Boss woman.
“Boss is very much seen as a man’s brand,”
Wilts says, matter-of-factly, with his German
accent adding emphasis and importance to
precise English. “For 12 months we have been
on an internal project to find the Boss woman.
She doesn’t want to be dressed in a man’s
brand. She is very confident, always very
modern and wants to go her own way.”
Substantial internal research befits a
company that racked up nearly $4.5 billion
in sales in 2018, but it took a certain magic
for Wilts to finally discover the essence of
that woman. The data offered fuel but the
unexpected sight of stylish, indefatigable women
admiring art in the downtown galleries of New
York sparked the latest slow-burn collection.
“I was walking through Chelsea, where I
live, and seeing all of the women in the galleries
... there was something effortless about their
clothing and tailoring,” Wilts explains.
Strong shoulders that make an impression
without overpowering the silhouette, narrow
sleeves that allow room for sweeping gestures
of appreciation and unexpected straight-leg
trousers with the delicious rumples of supple
leather, demonstrate the tightrope of
classicism and modernity being walked
by this new Boss woman.
“At the moment, you can do everything in
fashion,” Wilts says. “You can go through all of
the bright colours of Gucci to something else.
Suiting is a trend and it falls into our heritage,
but it is a part of our evolution.”
While a testosterone-soaked heritage can
be a burden, it is also a blessing in a crowdedfashion market when the label on
your clothing has to represent more
than a name and an attitude. Wilt’s
Boss woman may be newly born but
her tailored genetics are easy to spot.
“When you think about a
certain British company, also
starting with the letter ‘B’, you
think of trench coats. With Diane
von Furstenberg it is the wrap dress
that immediately comes to mind,”
Wilts says. “We have our heritage
and it is clearly grounded in
tailoring. From that tailoring we
move into skirts [and] dresses.”
Having had a long relationship with Hugo
Boss, along with stints at Tommy Hilfiger, Elie
Tahari and Kenneth Cole, Wilts took control
of womenswear following Jason Wu’s exit as
artistic director last year. Experience allows him
to appreciate tailoring’s return to the fashion
forefront after seasons in the wilderness of
casual Fridays and yoga pants, but short-term
runs are of little interest, as the focus remains
on a longer, enduring path for the Boss woman.
“In understanding her we see the Boss
woman as international and we are thinking
of the needs of our customer,” he says. “We
have an eye on all of the continents and how
she dresses differently in every country. In
New York she is more of a businesswoman.
In Europe and Asia there is a different approach
to dressing that’s not as focused on work.”
The message is old-fashioned, even if
the clothes are contemporary – trends are one
thing but the customer always comes first.
Wilts says the company has been researching
the customer base and getting a better
understanding of who the Boss woman is.
With unexpected details, a punchy
palette of tomato reds, creamy camels and
blue-and-red checks, it appears that she is
flourishing in the nourishing spotlight of
this belated attention.
“We see her. She is very sensual and she
is successful in her own way. Success for her
is different from success for a man.” Wilts says.
“Sometimes men seem to try very hard, but she is
effortless and inspiring with her style.” It sounds
as though the Boss woman is taking the lead.STYLE TIPS:
TAILORING1
Turn to top-to-toe
colour for a bold
statement (tomato
red is trending at
Hugo Boss). Wear
the pieces as
separates to amp up
your options.
2
Checks are
perennially chic, and
are a subtle way to
play with print.3
A classic double-
breasted blazer
deserves a spot in
every wardrobe.4
Cigarette trousers
and heels impart
easy femininity.5
Want to mix up the
look? Combine
butter-soft leather
with textural knits.“Suiting is a trend and it
falls into our heritage, but
it is a part of our evolution”- Ingo Wilts, creative director
TEXT BY DAMIEN WOOLNOUGH.(^124) | marieclaire.com.au
FASHION