How do you introduce a new brand to Gen Z?
According to Hugo, whose new line Hugo Blue targets this audience, you focus on premium denim and mix in a little bit of streetwear. You also throw a party in Berlin, which took place on March 6, tap performers like Swae Lee, and invite guests like Jodie Woods, Alani Figueroa, and Perris Howard.
But that’s an abridged version of Hugo Boss’ strategy. For the past two years, the brand has undergone a renovation of sorts, Boss caters to millennials. HUGO is a line for Gen Z. The German company has invested more in marketing—tapping talent like Naomi Campbell to not only walk in Boss' fashion shows but also create a collection—and promoting Marco Falcioni to senior vice president of creative direction at Hugo Boss in 2022.
So far, the changes have worked. In 2023, the company reported that sales grew 15 percent to a record level of €4.197 billion. In the past, sales haven’t grown beyond €4 billion. Now the company is setting its sights on building a stronger relationship with a younger customer in hopes that they can also help fuel growth, and they are using the denim category as a way in.
“Denim has always been a product category loved by younger generations and rooted in youth culture,” says Falcioni. “As we continue to establish HUGO as the brand of choice for the social generation, we saw an opportunity to offer a differentiated line with denim at the core.”
According to Falcioni, the HUGO main line focuses on elevated streetwear and contemporary styling, while the Hugo Blue line offers complimentary styles with denim at the core along with casualwear and a variety of gender-neutral items. The collection includes denim in all iterations—jeans, skirts, cargo skirts, trench coats, shirts, and shorts.T-shirts and hoodies come in blue, black, and white. They created a smiley face graphic that was so well received that it became Hugo Blue’s logo. The collection will be available at Hugo stores along with other select retailers.
To celebrate the launch, Hugo held a party and activation in Berlin that highlighted the collection. Guests entered through a walkway showered in blue light, and were greeted by a warehouse space that included different spaces dedicated to the collection; a customization zone where local artists like Rafaella Braga and Max Teutsch pierced or painted Hugo Blue pieces, and a multi-level tower where different DJs played throughout the night. There was also an area dedicated to Planet Hugo, where attendees could sit down and play Hugo Blue’s Roblox game. Gamers Clix and Chad Epps were in attendance, showing guests how to play. This launch also coincides with a global campaign shot by Stuart Winecoff starring Reezy, Jasmine Jobson, Teezo Touchdown, Rikimaru, Cara Taylor, and Vinnie Hacker.
According to Falcioni, all of this is an attempt to meet the customer where they are.
“The HUGO brand and its #HUGOYourWay campaign platform have the ambition to be the premium brand of choice for the social generation of changemakers (Gen Z) who consider creative ways of dressing as expressions of their individuality,” says Falcioni. “HUGO BLUE in particular talks to a younger demographic that's really into what's new in pop culture and immersed into the world of digital (i.e. the metaverse, gaming) and entertainment (i.e. music, art).”
This launch follows the introduction of the HU-GO1ST at Sole DXB festival in 2022, and an unreleased HUGO GO-2 style, which was unveiled last December with a private event hosted by Bloody Osiris at Miami Art Basel. Falcioni says this is just the start of the brand’s attempt to foster a connection with Gen Z and sneakerheads.
“Certainly the brand plans to unveil more unique sneaker releases and collaborations in the future, as it continues to expand its presence on the streetwear scene and strengthen its relationship with the sneaker community.”
