A decade of Hugo Boss
(Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2004-09-28 10:24

Scantily clad dancers injected zest and sexiness into the Hugo Boss spring/summer 2005 collections in Shanghai.

A sparkling white tent was set up at the Pudong riverside area and the party throbbed with celebrities and international press.

Scantily clad dancers injected zest and sexiness into the event.
German acrobats, dressed in Hugo Boss suits, pulled "Matrix"-style stunts on stage.

The 10-minute fireworks display was the climax of the spectacular night. Then the party got down to business and previewed Hugo Boss men and women's collections for spring/summer 2005.

For menswear, the natural look is the core theme for this collection with an emphasis on cottons, linens and silk. The tailored silhouette focuses on the two-button single-breasted jacket with narrow pants. The blazer is back as a versatile option in the male wardrobe.

There's also a half-lined cotton-linen sports jacket paired with white denim pants or a short ultra-soft suede jacket teamed with linen pants. The color palette includes neutral tones in off-white, beige, camel and dark brown, with highlights of dusty rose, turquoise, green-blue and light yellow. The influence of sportswear sweeps through the collection. More fashion-forward suits have been included for the younger customers.

Hugo Boss will have 60 shops in 30 major cities across China by the end of this year through franchises. In four years, the number will exceed 100.

Currently the men's collection accounts for 90 percent of the total sales in the Chinese market but the brand hopes to reinforce the identity of its fast-growing women's label.

The fashion show shed a bright light on its women's collection in hope that the line will be accepted by Chinese customers.

From the tailored business suit to the holiday slip dress for a poolside romance, the women's collection features the masculine mixed with the feminine. Jackets are short and boxy, worn with wide pants or narrow 3/4-length pants. Silk dresses are sensual. Gold, yellow and red feature in a predominantly spicy color palette with saffron, tangerine and coffee tones.