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Fashion Week Lives on with Hugo Boss's Swank Show

Designers or brands who want to attract more attention to their runway show might take a cue from Hugo Boss and not show during the regular semi-annual schedule of worldwide ready-to-wear shows – February, March, September and October, and instead stage a major must-attend event off the main calendar, when just enough time has passed after the last show in Paris and the fashion pack is just itching for an excuse to reunite with a swanky party.

Last night, Oct. 17, the German-based brand Hugo Boss did just that with its BOSS Black collection showing in New York at the splendid Cunard building, a historic structure in the financial district downtown. An international crowd of 600, many of whom flew in especially for the show, mingled pre-show in the lobby swilling champagne before taking their seats across from Kristen Davis, Julianne Moore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet and Anna Wintour, all of whom were in the front row.

BOSS Black Spring/Summer 2008, a womenswear and menswear range designed by Ingo Wilts and at the top of the Hugo Boss totem pole (other lines include the more casual Orange, Green and HUGO Hugo Boss brands), opened with Catherine McNeal, their campaign model, in a white suit with trousers tapered at the ankle, kicking off a passage of various white suits.

The suit for both men and women, along with transparency, were the dominant themes of the show, which featured plenty of shirts and dresses in semi-transparent fabrics, something seen on many runways for Spring. Sheer button-down shirts for both men and women were worn underneath suits, giving an unexpected twist on a familiar look. So did the use of shiny techno fabrics and boxy cropped blazers for the women.

More standard were the dresses, familiarly belted at the waist with wide patent belts, and high-waisted, softly pleated skirts that with a length that fell below the knee. Overall there wasn’t much color, save for a few evening looks in berry red and dusty purple, but off-setting the neutral palette were some spiffy patent shoes that the men wore in high-gloss grey or navy blue.

Immediately following the show, a group of servers in French maid outfits came out with carts full of food and champagne, kicking off of a raring after-party DJ-ed by the ubiquitous MisShapes.

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