This brand collab is back for a second season, this time taking on the world of baseball and showing off its vibrant energy during Milan Fashion Week. The result? Fresh new styles coming out of the stadium that bring us the best of both brands: tailoring and sportswear.
Today, I went to a show I adored: Boss x Russell Athletic. This capsule collection arrived at Milan Fashion Week with a sports-themed show–baseball to be specific. The second round of this collaboration between the two brands was unveiled at the Kennedy Sports Center in Milan.
This was a pre-collection show for Spring 2022 that reminded us of the one they’d done back in March in the midst of the pandemic. It was such a hit among Boss clientele, they decided to go back for more. I’m glad they did!
Boss Brand Director Ingo Wilts said that the goal of this collection with Russell Athletic (a sports brand based in Bowling Green, Kentucky) is to reach a new generation of consumers and turn them into Boss fans. “We are always seen as a tailoring brand — suiting, suiting, suiting — and here we show with Russell Athletic the other side of the brand,” he said. By delving deep into both labels’ archives the goal was again to “create something out of both, for a 24/7 lifestyle brand. It’s really for all to dress up and dress down, there’s a balance between the tailoring part and the sportier part.”
The collection is made up of 60 looks, 48 of which can be purchased now in Boss stores and online. The entire collection is strongly inspired by baseball and the relaxed silhouettes popular in the 90s. My favorites included varsity jackets, hooded sweatshirts, Russell Athletic pants, and plaid coats that reminded us of the core Boss DNA. The color palette was full of contrasting shades of white, blue, camel, and orange.
There were several touches I loved such like the Boss x Russell Athletic logo patches, emphasizing the collaboration between the two brands. They achieved their mission of strengthening the brand’s positioning among GenZ shoppers and continuing to excite existing ones. And, while the garments may have been the star players, the presence of top models certainly didn’t hurt.
The baseball field setting was ideal and the show featured a marching band, cheerleaders, and mascots, adding to the festive atmosphere. “It’s not a regular runway show; we wanted again to show a different side of the Boss brand at an event level. It aims to replicate an American baseball event in the Hugo Boss world,” explained Wilts.
Nowadays, no physical event would be complete without its digital counterpart, so Boss also launched a TikTok challenge, asking users to take on the #BossMoves challenge. The reward? Five winners won a varsity jacket as well as an exclusive piece from the capsule collection. In short, this was a show that was exciting at every turn and a collection that is sure to become a favorite for every fashionista, regardless of their generation!
XO
Sira