Style is both instantly recognizable, and completely indefinable.
The flexibility and individualism of personal style was the core theme of Boss’ Spring/Summer 2020 show – aptly named: BOSS Individuals.
After ten seasons of showcasing at New York, Boss took the bold decision to hop over the Atlantic, destination: Milan.
Boss’ debut at Milan Fashion Week last month demonstrated that a show focused on highly wearable, real clothes needn’t be boring. In fact, the German brand’s runway outing was a very good one, with effortless elegance conveyed through clean, modern, urban clothes.
Ingo Wilts, Boss chief brand officer responsible for creative management, updated the label’s sartorial aesthetic with a fresh twist, offering plenty of options for sophisticated men and women who can appreciate crisp, clean designs which owe much to the minimal ease of American sportswear.
Unsurprisingly, the tailoring was as excellent as ever – clean and sophisticated, but with a lighter touch. While the suits were eased, the sportswear was dressed up with sharp cuts and elevated materials, opening new possibilities for styling.
Layered over many of the looks, fluid coats were detailed with utility elements in crisp cotton or crafted from nappa leather and ultra-soft suede. Glossy fabrics add a further dose of modernity to outerwear.
But while Boss had all its signature tailored looks, the brand was a bit more playful this time with pieces designed to be mixed and matched and using gentle springtime colours such as yellow and teal, while various shades of blue came together on colour-blocked trench coats, to give it a more relaxed feel.
At the show Wilts spoke of the inspiration of the yellows and blues coming from the rays of early-morning sunshine bouncing off the skyscrapers in Manhattan. New York may have been replaced for Milan this season, but the city that never sleeps still played a central part in the SS20 collection.
The laid back offering, rich in leathers, silks, cottons and graphic prints which nodded to the layout of Manhattan, was imagined was presented in a series of colour schemes, from Hudson River blue to Big Apple red, and a spectrum of white, yellow and beige.
As the name suggests, the collection was created to embrace personal style rather than be hamstrung by flash trends. The pieces are designed to feel relevant not just now but next year, the following year, and so on. At a time when fashion is taking sustainability seriously – that is a pertinent message to take away.
