Established in 1993, the year creative director Eyan Allen began studying fashion, BOSS' parallel label HUGO made its mark in 1995 with a scent that would become synonymous with the decade. The brand is celebrating 20 years of its ready-to-wear this year, kicking off with a Berlin catwalk show casting the likes of Clement Chabernaud and Kasia Struss. We spoke to Allen to learn more.
Eyan Allen: My design ethos is all about mixing art with modern tailoring. I love the idea of experimenting with traditional construction and creating something fresh and new with it. I think this current collection incorporates these ideas, especially with its theme reflection.
DD: How was the Berlin event for HUGO's 20th anniversary?
Eyan Allen: In Berlin we showed the new HUGO AW13 collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, to kick off our anniversary year including a huge aftershow party in the same location. Situated in the very heart of Berlin, the venue was until recently a location where painters and sculptors created vast sets for Berlin’s opera houses with a stellar turnout of faces, including Renee Zellweger, Eddie Redmayne, Pixie Geldof and Edward Norton.
However, this is only the beginning of the anniversary and we have much more to look forward to this year.
DD: Did growing up in Leeds influence you at all?
Eyan Allen: I was born and raised in Leeds and I really like that city. In terms of my design influence I think that my current home, predominately being New York, has a bigger impact on my collections. I always knew that I wanted to be a designer and it was going to happen wherever I was living.
DD: HUGO is a scent that really captures an era, the late 90s. What are your memories of it and did you wear it?
Eyan Allen: My very first memories of Hugo Boss was from my father who had some BOSS suits. The first thing that I bought about 10 years ago was a leather biker jacket from HUGO a statement piece which stood out at the time and still does now – a timeless investment I still love wearing. Hugo Boss always strives to reinvent its image.