Last Wednesday, Hugo Boss hosted their Fall/Winter 2013 show in Shanghai, China. The collection opened with an electrifying shock of light shooting through the lightning bolt-styled wires that crackled across the ceiling. Bold shades of canary yellow mixed with clean coal and jet black began to line the runway, female models clad in sharp three-piece suits with decidedly classic appeal. Beautiful and sleek strapless dresses cut the business mold, sending senses from the office to the country club and lavish days of fun on the green. Boss carried on the pantsuit trend dominating red carpets this year, with more strapless features, and highlights of cut-outs and mesh paneling.
Tones grew steadily darker and muted as male models took to the catwalk, a dapper air to the suits and trench coats of the new line. Leather and velvet accents added to the elegant nature of the dark suits, followed by dresses that were ready to “work it.” One in particular caught our eye, a black punk-esque number with a sheer, bell-sleeved collared shirt layered over an A-line strapless pencil dress, cinched by a gold waist. The shades transitioned into deep teals and forest greens, with suits of sharp tailoring, motorcycle jackets with gilded zippers, and more cinched-waist cocktail dresses.
A shimmering side-split evening gown really stood out against the solid-colored collection, followed by another unique look with a fluffed fur coat. The hues flowed back into darkness with more evening wear, jutting back into pale peaches with a fur-collared trench and coats with purposefully un-symmetrical pockets. Beautiful gowns followed with plunging necklines, with a few more bell-sleeve styles. A blend of maroon and royal blues closed out the show, with detailings of earlier pieces brought to life in the fruitful re-imagining. Gerard Butler and Carey Mulligan were amongst the many celebrities in attendance and spotted sitting side-by-side in the front row, along with prominent Chinese actors and actresses like Cherie Chung and Michelle Chen.
