TEAM SPIRIT
BOSS x Russell Athletic is back for a second season. Chief brand officer Ingo Wilts lets us in on the story behind the collaboration
THE GO-TO BRAND for sophisticated luxury menswear, BOSS has successfully undergone a refreshing evolution of casualisation and become one of the latest brands to emerge at the forefront of the athleisure movement. With the debut of the BOSS x Russell Athletic collection earlier this year, it has introduced new interpretations of timeless tailoring that are on point with the zeitgeist, offering versatile, comfortable, everyday pieces with a sporty attitude.
Shedding light on the conception of the collaboration, chief brand officer of BOSS Ingo Wilts said, “When I travelled to New York in the past, I remember that I bought a Russell Athletic sweatshirt and thought perhaps Russell Athletic would be a cool collaborator to bring this idea of casualisation to life, and then I reached out to the people at Russell Athletic about the idea and the rest is history.”
“I started talking to Russell Athletic in January 2020. I explained to them about the idea of bringing together two heritage brands, BOSS, which is well-known for tailoring, and Russell Athletic, well-known for sweatshirts and hoodies.”
Given that the world has mostly been working from home since the wake of the pandemic plus the rising trend of stylish, active wear, Wilts added that BOSS x Russell Athletic is a strategic move that came at just the right time, “The collection is a good compromise between super casual and hard dress-up. I think it’s a good mix also for people who are working from home.”
“Before we proceed with any collaboration, we always look into the story and message that we want to tell, and what it can bring us. In the past, it was very strategic, for example, with Liam Payne for HUGO, which spoke to a younger demographic; and then we had one collaboration with Meissen, a porcelain factory, which was all about German heritage with two historical German brands coming together; and there was also (fashion blogger and model) Caro Daur, which was focused on the women’s range. So our collaborations have always been very strategic. Russell Athletic is a perfect example because it really hits the trend of casualisation.”
This new direction has in fact been steadily taking distinct shape at BOSS over the years and marks a bold, sensible and progressive step into the modern era. Wilts recalled, “We have always been catering for different wearing occasions, including the field of sport. We’ve pushed for golfing; we are in Formula E and, in the past, Formula 1, so there’s always a close connection between BOSS and sports. We also launched the NBA capsule prior to the Russell Athletic collaboration, which makes it all the more important for us to have this kind of continuation.”
“With the pandemic and all the digitalization, everything is faster, everything needs to be new, and everything needs to be bolder, because you need to be a little bit louder than your neighbour, so I think this is the trend right now. With the collaboration with Russell Athletic and what we’ve done for the videos and the impact on social media, I think it’s a big move forward for us.”
BOSS X RUSSELL ATHLETIC 2.0: PRE-SPRING 2022
Following on from the hugely successful inaugural capsule earlier this year, the BOSS x Russell Athletic Pre-Spring 2022 collection celebrates the collective spirit of team sports and the buzz of baseball, through the DNA of the two brands.
Shot by photographer Andrew Jacobs and directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen in NYC, the home of baseball, the campaign captures the excitement of game day. Presenting a snapshot of New York’s youth culture, the shoot follows a group of friends relaxing and hanging out on the street, before heading off on a road trip for an impromptu game of baseball. Following the group, we see them coming together to revel in the energy of the city, which forms a captivating backdrop to the vibrant new styles.
The collection brings a fresh perspective to retro Americana references, uniting BOSS tailoring expertise and Russell Athletic’s instantly recognisable sportswear aesthetic. Taking inspiration from the archives of both brands, relaxed fits are achieved with easy, 90s-style cuts that are right for now. The base palette of dark blue, cream and camel, is brought to life by pops of orange and mineral blue. Varsity-inspired bomber jackets are embellished with contrast chenille patches reflecting BOSS’s dedication to craft and workmanship. A special blended “BOSS x Russell Athletic” logo features across the collection, resulting in statement branded sweatshirts which have been given the vintage treatment ‒ a fitting tribute, considering Russell Athletic counts the first sweatshirt among its inventions.
“THE COLLECTION BRINGS A FRESH PERSPECTIVE TO RETRO AMERICANA REFERENCES, UNITING BOSS TAILORING EXPERTISE AND RUSSELL ATHLETIC’S INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE SPORTSWEAR AESTHETIC”
Launched globally in September 2021, the BOSS x Russell Athletic Pre-Spring 2022 collection will be available in BOSS Suria KLCC and Gurney Plaza from 15 October 2021 onwards.