GERMANY. Hugo Boss travel retail division reports that it experienced a fantastic start to 2003 with double-digit growth in the majority of its locations.
Despite the current worldwide situation, the airport pioneer also has a hectic schedule of store openings from May to August, including a giant 220sq m (2,367sq ft) freestanding combined Boss and Hugo store in Munich airport terminal two, going into operation this month with Eurotrade.
This is believed to be the largest single-brand airside fashion store anywhere in the world.
Hugo Boss head of travel retail Nadine Heubel told The Moodie Report: “With SARS and the slow economy, business is more difficult at the moment , especially in Asia and at European airports which depend a lot on intercontinental travellers.”
In May, Hugo Boss opened a shop-in-shop of 80sq m (861sq ft) at Manchester terminal two with The Nuance Group’s Fashion Gallery and a 20sq m (215sq ft) corner at Beirut airport with PAC.
Another 20 sq m (215sq ft) corner will open at Rome terminal B with Nuance next month. Another shop-in-shop of 40sq m (430sq ft) at Rome terminal C with Nuance will see the launch of a new fixture and furniture concept for the Boss sportswear label (“Orange Label”).
Other openings scheduled for August are a 90sq m (968sq ft) freestanding boutique at Kuala Lumpur with Melium/Eraman, and a new 40sq m (430sq ft) shop-in-shop in Malaga airport, with Aldeasa.
“We are especially proud of the shops in Rome,” said Heubel. “We are the second non-Italian fashion brand, after Hermès, to open branded shops at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport.”
Heubel said the fashion trend currently is firmly towards the more casual product groups. “Our biggest growth comes from sportswear: Polos, T shirts, sweats, jeans, outerwear jackets and shoes,” she said.
Hugo Boss sell its sportswear under two different labels. “Orange Label” is the more active, urban sportswear and “Black Label” is more sophisticated sportswear with a link to the full line clothing collection.
“Even about two years ago, we rarely sold our Orange Label collection in duty free, as everybody believed that the more formal business wear could only bring growth,” said Heubel. “Whereas now our franchise partners have dedicated more space to the Orange Label and it does sell very well.”
“Paying tribute to this evolution we have developed a special travel retail Orange Label furniture concept which will be launched in Rome terminal C in July.”
Hugo Boss has already seen a recovery in the Middle East, and the market feedback in Europe for the first week of June was also promising. “Provided that there will be no new unforeseen catastrophy, I am convinced that we can finish the year 2003 with positive results,” said Heubel.
