FASHION COMPANY
JUNE 29, 2023
A Long Journey Of Hugo Boss Company
A one of the best in the fashion industry, Hugo Boss has experienced many kind of eras from Nazi supplier to worldwide class fashion company.
Hugo Boss AG is a fashion and lifestyle house based in Metzingen, Germany specializing in high-end men’s and women’s clothing. The fashion house is named after its founder, Hugo Ferdinand Boss (1885–1948).
Hugo Boss was founded by Hugo Ferdinand Boss in 1924 in Metzingen, as a small manufacturing business that produced various types of clothing, such as raincoats, shirts, sportswear and work clothes.
Boss had been a supplier of Nazi uniforms long before he joined the party. At this time, Boss received his first major commission from Rudolf Born to produce brown shirts for the Nazi party, having previously produced police and post office uniforms.
However, the economic downturn that began to hit Germany after World War I put the fate of the country’s industries in jeopardy.
In 1931, Hugo Boss had to face the harsh reality that this event also brought his business to bankruptcy. He also saw an opportunity for himself to withdraw government contracts through the party. Still in the same year, Boss finally decided to join the Nazi Party.
Two years after Boss joined the party, he started producing various uniforms for organizations under the auspices of the Nazis.
The History of Yesterday site says that Hugo Boss has been the supplier of uniforms for the socialist party since 1924. However, they officially became the supplier in 1928-1929.
The company made uniforms for the Schutzstaffel (SS), Hitlerjügend (Hitler Youth), Sturmabteilung, Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps (Nazi Motorized Division), and others.
On the eve of World War II, Hugo Boss began to be flooded with uniform orders which continued to increase sharply. To meet the demand for this uniform, since April 1940, Hugo Boss started employing 140 forced workers, the majority of whom were female workers and 40 French prisoners of war.
In 1945, in the process of denazification which was an attempt to purge former Nazis from the government, judiciary, colleges, schools and press in occupied Germany, Hugo Boss was classified as ‘encumbered’.
However, they may continue their business. After the war ended, Hugo F. Boss was tried and fined for his involvement in the Nazi structure.
Boss’ success in becoming an international brand was not experienced by the founder of the company. On August 9, 1948 he died in his hometown of Metzingen and his sons took over the business. In the 60s they switched to suit fashion. This concept makes Boss a world class player.
To pay compensation for former forced laborers, the German government set up a compensation fund in the late 90s. Companies that are ‘burdened’ by historical links with the Nazis also pay to the forum, including Hugo Boss. The amount that Hugo Boss paid into the compensation fund was not disclosed by the company, just like other companies that also participate in funding.
Through their website, Hugo Boss has also expressed “deep regret to those who suffered pain or burden in the factories controlled by Hugo Ferdinand Boss under the National Socialist government.”
Hugo Boss currently has 6,102 stores in 110 countries. Hugo Boss AG directly owns 364 retail stores along with 1,000 franchised stores.
Its products are made in a variety of places, including its own production site in Izmir, Turkey (the most important production site); Radom, Poland; Morrovalle, Italy; French; Cleveland, USA; and Metzingen, Germany.
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