Business This article is more than 22 years oldBoss man bows out after 27 years of classic style
This article is more than 22 years oldWerner Baldessarini, the Hugo Boss chairman, is to step down after 27 years with the German fashion company, which recently branched out into womenswear for the first time.
Mr Baldessarini will leave in June in order to "pursue his personal lifeplan". The Austrian-born former design director is viewed as the driving force behind Hugo Boss's classic styles - the company even has a luxury brand named after him, Baldessarini.
A Hugo Boss spokesman said: "The timing is a bit of a surprise but he's been with us 27 years and he's now 57 - it's kind of understandable."
He said Mr Baldessarini was "keen on having some time to himself". He intends to indulge in his passion for skiing at his second home in Kitzbühl. He will remain a part-time creative consultant to the company for five years. The company, based in Metzingen, near Stuttgart, said vice chairman Bruno Sälzer would take the top job. Dr Sälzer has been in charge of sales and marketing since 1995 but has a background in business and finance, rather than fashion design.
Known for its stark, minimalist suits, Hugo Boss became a "power dressing" icon during the 1980s. Mr Baldessarini has tried to soften its image; in an interview this year, he said: "We've gone from macho man to yuppies to muesli man."
Hugo Boss launched a range of Boss womenswear this year, initially investing £16m in the new venture. The firm said the range's sales of DM110m (£35m) had beaten its expectations. However, Hugo Boss admitted it had suffered teething problems and said the range would not break even in 2002 as expected.
The firm's spokesman said: "A big new line like this involves a great deal in terms of fittings and fabrics. You will always have small problems - it's not surprising."
A family company until 1992, Hugo Boss is now controlled by the Italian textiles group Marzotto. Despite battling against a trend for dressing down at work, Hugo Boss has delivered a strong financial performance - its profits for the nine months to September were up 23% to €118m.
Mr Baldessarini did not comment yesterday , although he remarked in an interview last year that his successor ought to have a "feeling for fashion" rather than being a moneyman. He added: "When I retire I want to sit in the mountains and read that Hugo Boss is going 'whoosh'."
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