Corporate Profile

HUGO BOSS – the name denotes success, perfection and a style that transcends international borders. The Group has been successfully asserting and expanding its position as a global market leader in the upscale fashion market for years, despite the overall weakness of the global economy.There are many reasons for the Company’s success. A major component is the professional senior management and dedicated workers who possess extensive knowledge of both markets and cus-tomers. Product competence, a global sales network and top-notch logistics are also important factors in the Company’s successful development. Uniform presentation of our products through-out the world and effective marketing measures support the strong image of the HUGO BOSS brands and the Company.


Product Portfolio

The HUGO BOSS brands encompass all key fashion areas, ranging from classic clothing, evening and leisurewear to functional sportswear and complementary accessories. Licensed products such as eyewear, watches, fragrances and cosmetics further enhance our collections. In the cosmetics segment, the new skincare series for men, BOSS Skin, enjoyed immediate market success in 2005.


The HUGO BOSS Brand World

HUGO BOSS is represented in the fashion market by the BOSS and HUGO brands...more


Creativity and Perfection

The process of designing the collections and developing state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques takes place at the Group’s headquarters in Metzingen. Here, our creative teams design new models for each season of the year that are in step with current fashion trends. First, patternmakers transform ideas into prototypes. Sample collections are prepared as part of the further creative process; these are then presented as retail samples in worldwide showrooms. After the orders have been received, production planning in Metzingen prepares the models for series production.

The introduction of new, labor-intensive collections such as BOSS Orange Womenswear presents increasing production challenges, which we are meeting by developing unique processing techniques.Modern distribution logistics using automated warehousing and conveying techniques guarantee optimum goods flow management throughout the process chain. Our quality control management oversees the entire production process and ensures that our high quality standards are maintained – from the selection of suppliers and procurement of raw materials to the delivery of the finished collection to retail stores.


Innovation

In addition to steadily developing its collections, HUGO BOSS also continues to focus on new technologies and optimized work processes. With this goal, we initiated the Columbus project, the most comprehensive project in our corporate history. Columbus aims to significantly increase efficiency in all business processes and involves reorganizing all processes, from collection planning and production up to delivery. This allows us to predefine delivery windows for complete fashion programs accurate to the week and to service retailers just in time; a development that is unique in the fashion industry, meets today’s demands and underpins our market leadership.


Distribution

HUGO BOSS products are available worldwide in over 100 countries. Our own subsidiaries guarantee professional knowledge of key local markets. Our architects, merchandising teams and marketing services assist in the uniform presentation of HUGO BOSS at over 5,000 points of sale. Shop concepts are updated on an ongoing basis to enable constant innovative and high-quality presentation of our products. Our new accessory stores, for instance, are reaping the benefits of our new shop design. The first two such stores, opened in Frankfurt and Amsterdam in 2005 were immediately successful. This is an important step in expanding this market segment, which is of great significance to
HUGO BOSS.


Communications

Corporate and brand communication at HUGO BOSS is coordinated at our headquarters in Metzingen and supported by in-house staff at the subsidiaries as well as international public relations agencies. In addition to handling international business and lifestyle press relations, these professionals design and place magazine print ads and update our Internet presence, which is growing in importance as a marketing tool.


Sponsorships and Events

HUGO BOSS maintains very successful sponsorship programs. Cultural sponsorships link the HUGO BOSS brands with the aesthetic appeal, openness and innovation that are characteristic of the art world, while our sport sponsorships lend the BOSS core brand the attributes of success, fascination and dynamism.Major international fashion events serve to further enhance the HUGO BOSS brands by creating  an additional emotionally charged aspect.