A 20/20 EXCLUSIVE WITH VLADIMIRO BALDIN, SAFILO GROUP’S CHIEF LICENSED BRANDS AND GLOBAL PRODUCT OFFICER, ON THE LATEST FROM BOSS
By Jillian Urcelay
JU: BOSS has recently gone through a seismic rebranding transformation with new product, logos, partnerships and extensive campaigns. How can consumers see this refresh translated in both the DNA of the clothing and the eyewear collections?
VB: In 2022, the BOSS brand embarked on an exciting new path, expanding beyond signature tailoring, part of its heritage DNA, to offer a complete range of elevated casualwear, bodywear, accessories and athleisure that forms a 24/7 wardrobe designed to resonate with a global consumer, with casualization and comfort being key. As part of the brand’s refresh, the fashion house implemented a facelift of the logo—featuring now a notably bolder typeface, and an overall more contemporary visual brand identity which can be recognized throughout all global consumer touchpoints, from the design of its fashion collections to BOSS retail stores, social media, digital channels and licensed collections, including eyewear (with partner Safilo).
The refresh can be seen in the spring/summer ’23 eyewear collection in which we launched a new Signature product family that is fully aligned with the brand’s updated fashion direction; it echoes a bolder and more sophisticated design aesthetic and incorporates the BOSS signature color palette of black, white and camel. In addition to elevated styling, eyewear and packaging featuring the new BOSS logo, the brand refresh extends to all marketing touchpoints in the collection from newly designed point of sale materials to digital content to support optician channel sell-out.
Can you describe BOSS’ target demographic and the push to both reach and relate to them?
The BOSS eyewear collection, much like the BOSS fashion collection, has a newer demographic audience target aimed primarily at Millennials. The fashion house is redefining the way to communicate to customers and as such, is redefining what “being a boss” stands for today. The definition of a “boss” has changed from someone in charge of employees or an organization to someone who leads a self-determined life, stands for something and does good. This notion is not defined by gender. The brand wants to encourage people to be their own boss.
The fashion house is making a concerted effort to reach and relate to a more youthful customer base with a strong 360-degree approach across various channels, focusing heavily on digital and social media, large-scale outdoor advertising and global large-scale destination fashion show spectacles such as its Miami S/S ’23 event in March and its S/S ’22 show set against the backdrop of the Dubai desert last February.
Speaking of the recent fashion show in Miami, why was it important to make a big impact with this show?
On March 15, BOSS held a spectacular “see now, buy now” spring/summer 2023 fashion show with over 500 VIP guests. Those present included select international media, content creators, celebrities including Pamela Anderson, DJ Khaled and Naomi Campbell who walked in the show, and front row attendees like Maluma, Demi Lovato, Bella Thorne and Tiffany Haddish. A handful of lucky Safilo optical customers were also present. The electrifying presentation was created to further build upon and enhance the phenomenal worldwide digital buzz for the brand’s modern reinvention with social media personalities sharing their experience and the BOSS collection online with their followers.
It was exciting for Safilo to collaborate with the fashion house on a new limited edition pair of unisex sunglasses that were worn with numerous looks on models walking in the show. Inspired by the unique colors of Miami sunsets, the rimless wraparound sunglasses for women and men were created as a contemporary evolution of a design circa the 2000s with an extremely lightweight and minimal architecture in stainless steel featuring a gradient lens that faded from camel to crystal.
Safilo recently launched the new BOSS eyewear collection specifically for women. What design details and other special technology can we see throughout the release?
We’re excited to gain a new female following and appreciation for the BOSS eyewear collection in the North America optical channel. Women who appreciate or already wear the BOSS women’s fashion line will now have access to this distinctive and elevated women’s eyewear collection.
The BOSS eyewear collection for women is divided into two distinct product clusters: Distinctive Codes and Light & Minimal. The “Distinctive Codes” cluster is designed with a fashion-forward aesthetic indicative of the fashion house’s refreshed approach. It is characterized by bold volumes and the use of iconic brand details. One detail, above all, is the signature BOSS element introduced in the new SS ’23 collection—a metal detail on the front and end-piece recalling the iconic BOSS stripe. Brand details are also to be recognized in the sophisticated color treatments—ranging from iconic patterns to shades of camel. The “Light and Minimal” eyewear cluster features lightness as the distinctive element; the use of stainless steel, titanium and high-density acetate guarantee lightweight styles, embellished with the iconic BOSS stripe detail as the fil-rouge of the collection. The result is sophisticated and contemporary optical frames and sunglasses for the BOSS of today.
The latest campaign “BOSSes aren’t born—they’re made” features globally recognized talents including supermodels Naomi Campbell and Gigi Hadid. How does this campaign tell the brand’s story and motto of “Be Your Own BOSS,” while also showcasing the latest collection?
Colombian singer Maluma, American supermodel Gigi Hadid, British supermodel Naomi Campbell, South Korean actor Lee Min-ho, Italian tennis player Matteo Berrettini and German athlete Alica Schmidt all wear BOSS in the brand’s global spring/summer ’23 eyewear campaign. Each of these six personalities always knew what they wanted, and their breakthroughs were achieved through a series of personal choices. While destined for greatness, they personify the fact that BOSSes aren’t born—they’re made. Each of these talents perfectly convey that BOSS eyewear is for those who lead a self-determined life with style, passion and purpose. Between the storytelling, elevated fashions and eyewear worn, this campaign really drives home the notion that the BOSS eyewear collections for men and women offer bold, dynamic, modern designs to form a complete look for the inspirational BOSS of today. ■
