They said/We said: Hugo Boss funds investigation into its founder’s Nazi association

Galliano debacle aside, we’ve not been reminded of certain “unpleasant” associations in the fashion industry for quite some time. Well, the past has resurfaced again, as news of a new Hugo Boss investigation has made headlines.

The company recently financed a historical study of the period between 1924 and 1945, the times leading up to and during the Second World War to clear the air about Boss’s association with the Nazis. So far we already all knew that Hugo Ferdinand Boss himself was a member of the Nazi party, but after the war he claimed to have joined only to save his business, which was facing bankruptcy in the early ‘30s.

The new study shows that Boss was a loyal member of the Nazis, won the bid to make the infamous brown shirts worn by the party, and was a personal tailor to Hitler. Boss’ factories used forced, mostly-female labour during the war, about 140 kidnapped Poles and French, brought in during a wartime employee shortage. Something nice to say about him (if you can call it nice?) is that he showed some concern for their welfare.

The company has issued an apology on its website but isn’t it pretty irrelevant at this point, over 60 years later? We are unsure as to why Hugo Boss chose now to bring all this info to light. We just hope it didn’t cost too much.

THEY SAID….

Roman Koester, author of Hugo Boss. 1924-1945: “It is clear that Hugo F Boss did not only join the party because it led to contracts for uniform production, but also because he was a follower of National Socialism.” [Telegraph]

Philipp Wolff, senior vice president of communications: “We don’t want and have never wanted to hide anything, but rather want to bring clarity to the past. It’s our responsibility to the company, our employees, our customers and everyone interested in Hugo Boss and its history.” [WWD]

Hugo Boss: “[Hugo Boss wishes to] express its profound regret to those who suffered harm or hardship at the factory run by Hugo Ferdinand Boss under National Socialist rule.” [Telegraph]

WE SAID….

Randi Bergman, online editor: “I may be a little biased on this one, so I will just leave it at hoping the brand doesn’t intend to do this.”

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