In 2017, HUGO BOSS embarked on a journey to tackle the problem of “take, make, dispose” economic model, which relies on cheap, easily accessible materials and energy in the production of clothes. By joining the Call to Action organized by the Global Fashion Agenda, HUGO BOSS is committed to the transition to a circular economy in the fashion industry. Parsons has been in partnership with HUGO BOSS for the past six years and this past academic year, we extended the partnership to include a project with the goal of researching circular design practices and global production systems. Students were put on teams composed of different majors and together work on prototypes and a marketing plan. One of our AAS Marketing students, Gwen Ong, was in the winning group! She described her project below:

Boss One, the one material suit, was inspired by our belief that sustainable products can be luxurious. Rather than decreasing the value of the suit, we up-cycled it through intricate craftsmanship — stitching and layering 100% wool fabrics to mimic the structure of a traditional suit usually supported by padding and horse hair canvas. Having a suit made entirely from wool allows us to recycle the material with ease.