Hugo Embraces Sports activities Reminiscent of F1 to Attain Youthful Clients

The Hugo model is on observe to hit 1 billion euros in gross sales by subsequent yr.

That was the projection made by Daniel Grieder, chief government officer of Hugo Boss, who’s basking within the ongoing success of the corporate’s younger-skewed label.

In 2023, gross sales of the Hugo model rose 22 % on a currency-adjusted foundation to 656 million euros, or 16 % of whole firm gross sales. And that got here at a time when total gross sales for the company hit a file 4.2 billion euros, exceeding the 4 billion-euro milestone for the primary time, Grieder stated.

And the momentum has continued this yr. Within the first three months of 2024, Hugo’s gross sales elevated 9 %, thanks partly to the “profitable launch of Hugo Blue, the brand new denim-focused line,” Grieder added.

However he’s not stopping there. Grieder stated the purpose for the model is to realize gross sales of round 1 billion euros, or a 20 % share of total gross sales, by 2025 because it seeks to additional cement its place with Gen Z and “young-minded customers usually,” he stated.

“The launch of Hugo Blue in early 2024 is devoted to leveraging the complete potential of Hugo sooner or later,” Grieder instructed WWD. “With the brand new model line, we’ll seize alternatives in denimwear whereas the present product vary beneath the primary line will proceed to position a robust emphasis on road tailoring. We additionally purpose to leverage the potential of hero merchandise and can additional excite our followers with inspiring collaborations. For this yr, we look ahead to connecting with a youthful and extra international viewers by way of our new involvement with Hugo in F1 and the associated model moments in a robust method.”

This previous weekend, Hugo was a significant presence on the F1 Grand Prix races in Miami. The corporate created a Hugo Storage, a big, experiential house modeled after a automotive storage that served to publicize its newly inked deal because the official attire of the Purple Bull Components 1 staff.

The “off observe” set up included two days chock filled with programming similar to native artists doing customizations, performers taking the stage, partnerships with Boiler Room, AfroFuture, Lovewatts, duplicate F1 vehicles and a go to to Planet Hugo within the digital Roblox universe.

There was even a Hugo pop-up on the Aventura Mall the place followers may strive their abilities on a racing simulator or choose up a chunk or two from the Hugo x Purple Bull capsule assortment.

“That is all a part of the refresh of the model,” stated Nadia Kokni, senior vp of world advertising and model communications for Hugo Boss.

Because the company strategized the easiest way to attach with youthful customers, Hugo Boss determined to go all in on sports activities.

“We love the narrative of sports activities,” Kokni stated. “The ability of sports activities resonates with all individuals whether or not they’re professionals or simply energetic. People can relate to the inspiration and uplifting narratives of sports activities.”

However Hugo shouldn’t be Nike or Below Armour — and that’s OK.

“We’re not a sport efficiency model,” she stated, “but it surely’s the life-style and tradition of sports activities that we like. Solely a really small variety of individuals are Components 1 drivers, but it surely’s extra about bringing the joy of F1 to prospects.”

Hugo shouldn’t be alone in making an attempt to capitalize on the rising reputation of F1. Many vogue manufacturers together with Tommy Hilfiger, Puma and Psycho Bunny have additionally been activating across the sport.

For Hugo, Kokni stated, “it’s such a fantastic match. We’re each mavericks and disrupters.” And by getting concerned with F1, Hugo is ready to attain new audiences, she believes.

“Sports activities are a part of the tradition of leisure for youthful prospects,” she continued. “We wish to ship related tales that join emotionally with customers and Components 1 is the proper automobile to convey our model to life.”

Sports activities and vogue proceed to converge, Kokni stated, pointing to the NBA and NFL tunnel walks the place gamers are dressed to the nines with the newest designer fashions. And F1 is “the top of leisure” with its races staged in main cities world wide together with Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi and Miami.

Hugo will proceed to focus its sports activities efforts on F1 and the 2 drivers it sponsors: Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, in addition to music and the metaverse.

For the bigger Boss model, which is extra rooted in tailor-made clothes, Kokni stated there are additionally sports activities tie-ins. In 2022, Boss grew to become the official vogue accomplice of the Aston Martin Components 1 staff and named certainly one of its drivers, Fernando Alonso, as an envoy.

It’s also concerned in tennis, biking, observe, golf and different sports activities, sponsoring athetes together with Matteo Berrettini, Noma Noha Akugue, Ella Seidel, and most not too long ago, Taylor Fritz. The model additionally sponsors Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Main League Baseball’s Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Reinventing Hugo Boss was a key technique of Grieder’s when he joined the model in 2021. The previous chief of Tommy Hilfiger World shortly noticed that his new firm was confronted with an growing old buyer and stagnating gross sales. As he stated shortly after taking the helm: “Over the previous eight to 10 years, [Hugo Boss] misplaced its relevance. They obtained previous. Once you regarded within the shops, it was flat. There was no pleasure, no marketing campaign that obtained your pulse racing. They misplaced that feeling — the sexiness, the desirability — little by little through the years.”

However beneath his management, he has clearly outlined the positioning of its two manufacturers and by partnering with main sports activities and culturally related occasions similar to F1, Hugo Boss seems to be heading in the right direction.