The front row: Rooney Mara, Emily Ratajkowski, Kylie Jenner, and Carine Roitfeld. The setting: dark, industrial. The music: loud. You’d be forgiven, considering the sensory (and star power) element of Jason Wu’s fifth womenswear collection for Hugo Boss yesterday, for thinking you were in for a demonstration of the young designer’s brilliant grasp on things sharp and sleek. What he delivered instead was a collection equally powerful in its soft femininity.
Proving he’s well settled in his role at the helm of the traditionally masculine brand, Wu set himself a new challenge this season: retaining the rigorous Boss heritage while presenting clothing that was all about curvature. This was achieved first by choice of textiles, including malleable mesh, satin, and bouclé. Often they all showed up on one dress, making a joint effort to drape curves and artfully expose skin. To further emphasize the figures of his runway-stomping power women, curvilinear seam detailing ran from shoulder to hem on sleeveless — and still surprisingly minimal — tops and dresses. Then there were the colors. This season, Wu introduced a palette of hot pink, emerald, cinnamon, and ochre into the boardroom. Another sign of the designer’s controlled sense of confidence.
But with coats this good, who even needs anything underneath? Long, fluid toppers with cascade-cut fronts were rendered in a burnt peach cashmere that looked impossibly soft. Longline blazers with necklines slashed to the bellybutton were given a bonus shot of estrogen, nipping in at the waist. Wu knows his woman — whether she’s a CEO or a reality star.
Credits
Text Hannah Ongley
Images courtesy of Hugo Boss