By ZACH JAMES
German fashion house Hugo Boss is converting a first down via a renewed partnership.
Launched on Aug. 13, the company’s latest project, created with the help of the National Football League, takes the form of a collection with pieces representing 21 of the organization’s 32 teams. The collaboration between the NFL and the core Boss brand marks a rare crossover between major American sports leagues and luxury maisons, uplifted by the appearance of four star players from across the league in a corresponding campaign.
“This collaboration between Boss and the NFL feels very natural and organic,” said Daymon Bruck, Chief Creative Officer at The O Group, New York.
“Both brands appeal to a younger male demographic – a group that has recently become one of the fastest- growing luxury consumer segments,” Mr. Bruck said. “The new campaign featuring marquee players adds some authentic star appeal to the collection.
“Who better to sport these new designs than the NFL ‘bosses’ themselves?”
Mr. Bruck is not affiliated with Hugo Boss, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Touchdown Drop
The Boss x NFL 3.0 collection includes t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, hoodies and jackets utilizing the team colors and logos of squads from both the American Football Conference and National Football Conference.
The San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers, LosAngeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers are all represented within the wide-ranging capsule.
“While this collaboration between the NFL and Boss makes perfect strategic brand sense, the designs themselves are fairly toned down and don’t seem to maximize either brand visually or creatively,” Mr. Bruck said.
“All items look like elevated versions of standard sports merchandise, and with refined fabrics, cuts and finishes they appear to justify the higher price point of the collection,” he said. “I can see this collection appealing to a broad fashion-minded sports enthusiast, especially one who appreciates the refined fit and fabric that Boss is known for.”
Each of the items comes in grey, black, white, beige or respective team colors, with the New York Giants receiving limited-edition apparel themed around the club’s 100th anniversary. The collection is exclusive to the Boss online store in the Americas, as well as the official NFL shop and select retail partners across North America.
Original article published in Luxury Daily, August 22, 2024
