BOSS International history

Hugo Boss started his clothing company in 1924.

After filing for bankruptcy in 1931, he reached an agreement with his creditors to start again with just six sewing machines.

When Germany--led by Adolf Hitler's National Socialist regime--went to war again in 1939, uniforms were in high demand.

By 1950 the company has 128 employees on its books, a number that continues to rise in the following years.

In 1954 a Boss fragrance was successfully introduced.

In 1960 the first off-the-peg suits for men are produced, laying the foundations for the company's future success.

However, the short recession of 1966 signaled the end of the German "economic miracle." Under the Holy brothers, Hugo Boss started making brown, blue, green, and black suits for men.

1967: The Holy brothers take over management and transform the company into a men's fashion manufacturer.

In 1969 Eugen Holy's sons – Jochen and Uwe Holy – take over the company, gradually reshaping it into the international fashion group familiar today.

1970 – Creation of the BOSS brand

The first BOSS outlet was opened in 1972 and formed the cornerstone for the Outletcity Metzingen.

While the unknown German label was met with skepticism when the first Boss suits hit the stores in the United States in 1976, its acceptance grew steadily.

BOSS is registered as a brand in 1977.

In 1980, Hugo Boss passed the DM 100 million sales mark for the first time.

HUGO BOSS ventures into a new market in 1984 by granting its first fragrance license.

1985: The company goes public and is renamed Hugo Boss AG.

By 1987, Hugo Boss grossed DM 500 million annually, reaching almost DM 1 billion by the end of the decade.

In 1991, the Italian fashion giant Marzotto became Hugo Boss's new parent company.

The German fashion industry was struggling with the economic recession that started in 1992.

HUGO BOSS introduces its tri-brand strategy in 1993.

While total sales declined, profits jumped by 74 percent in 1994, the year after the launch of the three-brand campaign.

HUGO BOSS begins sponsoring contemporary arts in 1995.

By the end of 1996, about two thirds of Hugo Boss's sales originated outside of Germany.

Tapping its long-term experience in golf sponsorship, HUGO BOSS launches the BOSS Golf Collection in 1997.

The year 1998 is a milestone in HUGO BOSS' company history, marking the launch of its first women's collection – under the HUGO brand.

1999 – BOSS Orange An international event marks the launch of BOSS Orange in 1999.

The company's new collection for spring and summer 2000 featured a look that Baldessarini described as soft and modern at the same time, a mixture of romance and technology.

In April 2001, the company opened one of the country's biggest designer stores on New York's Fifth Avenue.

To answer this need, the luxury line BOSS Selection is first presented for Fall/Winter 2004.

Boss Orange – Women – Lifestyle clothing since 2005

For the 2006 summer season a BOSS Orange Womenswear collection – offering the same casual, individualistic and upbeat styles as the existing men's collection – is launched for women.

On the evening of October 17, 2007 HUGO BOSS presents its BOSS Spring/Summer 2007 collection at the historic Cunard Building in Manhattan.

HUGO BOSS' online store in Great Britain is launched in September 2008.

The year 2009 sees HUGO BOSS awarding a license for children's clothing.

Boss Green – Women – Active clothing since 2010

The full version of the study was published by the HUGO BOSS Group in August 2011.

2012 – Fashion Show In 2012 the first Fashion Show was flanked by an international online and social media campaign that climaxed with a true premiere: the first 3D live stream of a fashion show.

In fiscal 2014 the company had total revenues of 2.6 Billion Euros ($ 2.9 Billion). Net income for the year was 333 Million Euros ($3.5 Million).

Just this past week, on March 18, 2015, Permira sold its remaining holding to the public, giving their clients a 2.3x return on their investment or about 2.5 billion Euros (about $2.7 Billion).

2016 – 20th anniversary of the HUGO BOSS PRIZE

2019 – Porsche and HUGO BOSS collaborate