With its FW 23 collection showcased at Milan Fashion Week, ‘CorpCore’ BOSS revisits its heritage codes.
Tailoring has always been at the heart of the BOSS heritage and for its Fall/Winter 2023 fashion show, presented in Milan’s Allianz MiCo conference centre, the design house revisited its sartorial roots through a contemporary lens. Themed ‘CorpCore,’ the show venue transformed into the BOSS Techtopia: an ephemeral workplace an oasis of tranquillity and ergonomic design, where the needs of body and mind are seamlessly integrated. By aligning the wonders of technologies, such as robotics, with lush green spaces, Techtopia unveiled a calm atmosphere and a positive, inspiring view of tomorrow.
Created by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics, Sophia represented some of the world’s most advanced technology in robotics. The original robot citizen, Sophia manned the entrance of the show, interacting with guests thanks to the ability to recognise faces, hand gestures – and even register human emotional expressions in conversation. In an unexpected twist, Sophia was sitting at a desk in the front row watching the models as they took to the runway. Following their surreal welcome from Sophia, guests then entered the Techtopia via tunnels filled with life-sized holograms offering multilingual greetings, leading to a mesmerising, screen-filled lobby. From the lobby, attendees accessed the striking runway space, which combined traditional office fixtures with futuristic, inspiring, tech-infused elements.
Six themed rooms were located within the runway loop, overseen by the Techtopia Control Room. In the HarmoniTech Space, a yogi found a haven of calm for their practice within the fast-paced corporate world. The Brainstorm Room saw employees wearing light-therapy headphones and summoning collective creative energy. Two additional rooms served as harmonious, plant-filled meeting spaces. The AromaSynth Lab, a space dedicated to olfactive discovery, celebrated the classic BOSS scent, BOSS Bottled Eau de Toilette, while also presenting BOSS Bottled Elixir – the latest creation from BOSS Fragrances – to be sampled.
Brand ambassador Lee Minho surprised guests by kicking off the show as the first to enter Techtopia. The VIP guests included Naomi Campbell, Suki Waterhouse, Demi Lovato and Sonam Kapoor among others.
Marco Falcioni, SVP of Creative Direction at HUGO BOSS shared in the press notes, “I loved the creative challenge of taking the traditional office attire of the executive – a look not typically associated with breaking boundaries – and shaking it up to make it new, exciting, and representative of the multi-faceted modern BOSS. It’s a celebration of suiting as a tool for empowerment, confidence, and individuality – values that drive our core message, ‘Be Your Own BOSS’.”
Falcioni proposed a new executive wardrobe with unexpected detailing. Taking a radical departure from the rigid codes of traditional office attire, he lent a contemporary spin on classic staples in men’s and women’s wardrobes, from blazers and suits to shirts and pencil skirts. Entered super-stretch suiting crafted from performance fabric, printed with traditional patterns, while deconstructed designs. Belting added a new dimension to boxy cuts; deep slits and double-way zips brought intrigue and versatile styling options to timeless silhouettes. Crisp, structured fabrics and sharp silhouettes, with an emphasis on a clean, uninterrupted look made the ensembles wearable, seasonless and with an incredible mix-and-match appeal. Visible buttons and zips were removed from their typical placements, putting focus on the tailoring expertise that the label is known for. An all-pervading muted colour palette ranged from grey and white to shades of brown and green. Black – a classic in any of the brand’s collections – also featured heavily, including on pieces adorned with the signature B-monogram pattern, which links back to the brand’s corporate identity.
In the realm of accessories, playful references to office objects like paper clips, pens, and folders were reworked in off-kilter ways. Details such as numerical locks on briefcases lent a statement finish to bags and shoes. Following the success of the “see now, buy now” model used in its previous shows, the brand made a selection of styles from the Fall/Winter 2023 collection available to shop online immediately, allowing its digital-first customers to purchase runway looks as soon as they were revealed. As part of the brand’s THE CHANGE initiative and its long-term partnership with HeiQ AeoniQ, LLC – both of which intend to usher in a more innovative and sustainable approach to fashion – the “see now, buy now” collection also includes three limited-edition outerwear styles in HeiQ AeoniQ™ fabric. This material serves as a substitute for oil-based filament yarns, such as polyester and nylon, for a lower environmental impact. Superimpose sustainable ethos with a timeless closet and you’ve got a winner!
All Images: Courtesy BOSS.
Manish Mishra is a well respected Fashion Editor, Columnist and Digital Creator with his works published in several Indian and international publications over a decade now. Fondly known as ‘Dandydujour’, Manish’s personal style is pretty much a reflection of his writing prowess – distinctive, uninhibited and precise.
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