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Published: 18:11, August 22, 2022
China becoming a fashion trendsetter, says Hugo Boss CEO
By Xinhua
Published:18:11, August 22, 2022 By Xinhua

This file photo taken on Sept 28, 2011, shows the logo of the German brand Hugo Boss at an outlet in Berlin. (JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP)

METZINGEN - China is becoming a trendsetter in the world of fashion, Hugo Boss Chief Executive Daniel Grieder said recently, adding that the German fashion brand remains bullish on the Chinese market.

"I like the dynamic and young consumers in China. They're fashion-forward, the way they dress is really advanced," Grieder said in an interview with Xinhua.

"You are seeing a trend created in China that is coming over to Europe and the United States ... I think at the moment the Chinese have a home run on setting trends which is very exciting for us as a brand," he said.

You are seeing a trend created in China that is coming over to Europe and the US...I think at the moment the Chinese have a home run on setting trends which is very exciting for us as a brand

Daniel Grieder, Hugo Boss Chief Executive

Based in Metzingen, Germany, Hugo Boss has become a global fashion and lifestyle company in the premium segment. In 2021, the company employed approximately 14,000 people worldwide, of whom roughly 1,300 are in China.

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As of August, the fashion house reported a currency-adjusted increase in group sales by 34 percent in the second quarter compared to the prior-year period to 878 million euros (US$881 million), the strongest second quarter in its history, as the company said.

The Chinese market accounts for a large share of its growth. Describing the company as "well-positioned in China," Grieder said: "Our forecast (for China) for next year is we want to grow double-digit."

Speaking of the future business planning, the chief executive said: "We invest a lot into retail in general, 500 million euros (US$501 million) until 2025, and a big chunk of that goes into the Chinese market."

"We will next year open around 20 new stores in China. We currently have around 90 freestanding stores," he added, stressing that "there's a lot of potential that we can grow in China and we will invest more."

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According to Grieder, Hugo Boss now is focusing on relieving the environmental impact of the fashion industry.

"The fashion industry is the industry where we create unfortunately too much waste ... so our industry needs to improve," he said.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) estimated in 2018 that fashion production makes up 10 percent of humanity's carbon emissions, dries up water sources, and pollutes rivers and streams. Besides, 85 percent of all textiles are sent to the dump each year, according to UNECE.

New materials being developed could reduce the microfiber and plastic pollution while boosting the circular economy, said Grieder.

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He told Xinhua that Hugo Boss was currently testing a new cellulosic bio-polymer-based yarn with a Switzerland-based company, which is 100 percent recyclable and could help mitigate the climate impact of the textile sector.

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