Collab with Hugo Boss x Orlando Ho for Prestige, Hong Kong

 

 

Dino Busch did the photos for the magazine.

With Jason To, videographer, one of the best in the biz.

Dino's OK. ;0)

Interview and feature with Orlando Ho in the magazine. 

Special thanks to Avni and Avisha, who helped arrange location - Ovolo hotel. 

Hugo Boss Party in Hong Kong: The boss Orange Shop opens in Asia

Any colour will do so long as it's orange for fashion brand marking its anniversary 

The Boss Orange shop in the IFC Mall morphed into a music venue when the brand celebrated its first anniversary in style and song. Musician Jun Kung and actor, VJ and singer Terence Yin Chi-wai exercised their vocal chords on Friday for a shop full of fans both of the brand and the band. 

It was a high-voltage event that brought together rockers and fashionistas such as models Grace Wong, Lisa Selesner, Chrissie Chau Sau-na and Ankie Beilke, who flanked Dr Gerrit Ruetzel, Hugo Boss' chief executive for the Asia-Pacific region, for the cameras. Actor Daniel Wu Yin-cho, hip hop group 24Herbs, Charles Yang and other fine folk from the popular Alive Not Dead art and media network made their presence felt. Yin, one of the founders of Alive Not Dead, attracted a steady stream of fans. 

On a whim, Kung took to speaking like Donald Duck. When Yin quipped to Kung, "I prefer this to your normal voice," the audience raised the roof. Between servings of orange-themed canapes and German beer, guests were treated to the premiere of the music video for Yin's new EP, Transparent, directed by Jan Lamb Hoi-fong. The cover was shot by highly acclaimed artsy photographer Wing Shya. In the video, Yin and Grace Wong are sporting clothing by Boss Orange (no surprise there). 

Byline: 

P. Ramakrishnan (ramakrishnanp@Hotmail.com) 

October 5, 2011

He's the Boss: Gerrit Ruetzel: Head of Hugo Boss in Hong Kong

As one of the youngest heads of one of the oldest brands, Gerrit Ruetzel looks to the east in his ever-rising career, writes P.Ramakrishnan.

Portrait by Douglas Pieterse.


WITH HIGH-END luxury brands, instant recognition is key. One look at the multi-hue prints on a silken shirt of a man reeks of Versace. The interlocking C's are of course Chanel, and every fashionista can read the monogram print of Louis Vuitton a mile off. But Hugo Boss, with its long history of subtle sophistication, how do you stamp an imprint on the teeming masses? A sophisticated suit, with a conservative...

"No, I wouldn't call it conservative," corrects Dr Gerrit Ruetzel, 37, the newly appointed president and chief executive Asia-Pacific of Hugo Boss. "I think we're everything but conservative. When I think of the word conservative, I think of an older generation, I don't think of a young brand. We've been around for decades, but it's a modern brand. We're not the brand that your grandpa wears."

Indeed, as a series of images from their campaigns, featuring actor Ryan Reynolds and professional racer Lewis Hamilton, unfold, there's nothing octogenarian about the look from this centennial German brand.

"There are a lot of brands that can make a nice suit, but very few that give you a modern look," he says. "With Hugo, we are more fashion forward, so I wouldn't call it a classic either. We want to give our customers options, to let them know they're perfectly dressed for any occasion. We give them a sense of security that you won't stick out in a bad way; at the same time, you're in vogue, you're modern, you are safe in what you're wearing."

Easy to concur with the good doctor (Ruetzel has a PhD in International Management) as the notably young CEO moved to Hong Kong just a few months ago, after a two-year tenure in New York with the brand. Though the brand has been in Asia for years, there are some seismic ripples being made in the Asia-Pacific region.

With a grand re-opening of its signature store in Central's IFC Mall in the coming weeks, a strong presence of Asian models leading its new campaign (Japanese model/actress Devon Aoki having already modelled for them in the past, and Philip Huang appearing in the F/W 2011 campaign), as well as further inroads into China as more stores are expected to open within the next 18 months, there seems to be a heavy Asian focus in Boss' future.

But Ruetzel offers to clear up the notion of China being a new market in their economic strategy: "We've always had a presence in China, so this isn't anything new. And as for using an Asian model, we didn't think of it as a specific strategy to encroach into the region. The casting of Huang was done a long time ago; he came in, we liked his look, he became the model for the global campaign - the same images will be projected in South America, Americas, Europe - the model doesn't change according to the region."

The lifestyle of a young chief executive isn't all about jet-setting across the globe and hobnobbing with celebrities like Sienna Miller (a past brand ambassador). "The best and the worst parts of the job are the same," says Ruetzel. "I get to travel a lot. It can be quite stressful as you're in meetings around the world, but I have the happy position to combine work and pleasure. The glamorous part of the job is hosting grand events and parties, but there's a tough business side too."

The dwindling economy and its volatile share market hit luxury brands hard. But even in difficult times, there was the sweet smell of success. "We had a meeting with our license partner, Proctor and Gamble, not long ago and the fragrances from our company have been amongst the top five brands actually. The perfume business has not developed as much in China as other countries, but we see a steady growth."

Wonder if it's the heroic efforts of the Green Lantern's (actor Ryan Reynolds) new campaign that's creating a whiff in all the right circles? Ruetzel won't say, but he waxes eloquent on the current crop of faces that are creating brand awareness to a new generation.

"Working with successful, confident personalities has been a key factor," he says. "When we first dressed Philip Seymour Hoffman, we had no idea whether he would win the Oscar. We saw this man with great talent; he may not be the image of the Boss man, but we support the talent.

"There is no one prototype man that we're aiming for. It's anyone who's successful and confident."

The Goods

Ah, my weekly column in Post magazine.




Hue grant

If you thought menswear this autumn-winter would come shrink-wrapped from a factory in dullsville, you couldn't be more wrong. The bright sparks at Marc by Marc Jacobs are going with the theory that the brighter the better. An ensemble worth a look is the striped lurex jumper in normandy blue (HK$2,590) worn with a canvas white shirt (HK$1,790), Tommy Suiting jacket in Normandy blue (HK$4,490) and matching trousers (all far right; HK$2,490). For something more retro, there's the preppy trousers (HK$2,490) matched with lurex jumper (both right; HK$2,790). Marc by Marc Jacobs is in The Landmark, Central, tel: 2868 9782.

Reptilian pursuits

Perk up your look this season with fun accessories from agnes b. For a quirky twist, check out the stainless-steel lizard cufflinks (right; HK$890) and tie clip (above; HK$790) from the Mutate series. Agnes b is in IFC Mall, tel: 2805 0678.

Gold rush

Italian brand Giuseppe Zanotti has taken the leap into unisex shoes. The brand's latest men's line might look familiar to those in the know: the silver and gold shoes were recently launched as part of the women's range. Add a bit of sparkle to your sole with the gold snake-skin shoe (above left; HK$7,050) or the shiny clasped boot (left; HK$8,850). Giuseppe Zanotti is in IFC Mall, Central, tel: 2805 0890.


Aug 28, 2011




A shoe in

Japanese designer Mihara Yasuhiro's highly coveted shoes were kicking up a storm even when he was at university. After releasing his first line in 1994, while attending Tama Art University, he became known for an innovative, modernist style. We love the casual coolness of the half-cut Oxford shoes (bottom; HK$8,500) and the Miharayasuhiro boot (left; HK$8,900), which oozes monochrome urban elegance. A pop-up Miharayasuhiro boot store is open until February at Joyce, New World Tower, Central, tel: 2810 1120.

Carry it off
The trouble with most "man bags" is that they rarely look masculine, despite the best of intentions. Let MCS Marlboro Classics help you man up for the season with a plaid shoulder bag (below; HK$2,690) or oversized bag (left; HK$3,690), mostly in dark shades and rough textures. MCS Marlboro Classics is at iSquare, Tsim Sha Tsui, tel: 2971 3847.


Grey matters
Brooks Brothers is going back to school for autumn-winter, putting an original spin on classic looks with a markedly collegiate spirit. The collection is inspired by the label's own 1920s designs and we're loving the cotton Oxford shirt (HK$1,750), wool plaid tie (HK$1,280), cashmere Norfolk jacket (HK$14,980) and pebble wingtip boots (all far right; HK$6,580). When it comes to cocktail- hour attire, the heather turtleneck cardigan (HK$12,180) with wool flannel tab trousers (both right; HK$5,150) top our list. Brooks Brothers is in Prince's Building, Central, tel: 2523 3366.

Climate control
Hong Kong rarely gets cold enough for the winter wear of the western hemisphere, except on public transport, in cinemas and in most offices. To beat the odd chill, Hugo Boss offers easily wearable accessories such as a white virgin-wool scarf (top; HK$8,900), dark brown suede gloves (above; HK$3,500) and a brown rabbit-fur hat (right; HK$6,750). Hugo Boss is at Pacific Place, Admiralty, tel: 2918 1802.


Aug 21, 2011

By P.Ramakrishnan
ramakrishnanp@Hotmail.com