"Be yourself, stay authentic."
25 years with HUGO BOSS. This is a long time that Christian, Director Business Unit BOSS Menswear, has had to get to know the company. He has been following the continuous development of the business since day one. But one thing has never changed: The big WOW! when you arrive at the campus in Metzingen for the first time. Now - just like back in 1994: “I immediately noticed that everything was extremely modern. You also need to consider that this impressive glass architecture that we have today was not yet present then.”
Motivation is the beginning of everything.
"I have been here for 25 years - and there are reasons for that. On the one hand, it is the people who work here. There is a strong sense of togetherness and a great passion to make a difference together. On the other hand, there’s the fact that the HUGO BOSS brand still has a lot of potential. This thought is my permanent motivation. We have our big vision, which we are all working towards. But along the way to achieving this, there are many small tasks that need to be solved. The question is: How much of it do I take on? What motivates me? Why do I get out of bed each day?"
Christian, what`s your HUGO BOSS?
Be as dynamic as fashion is. "We are now living in such fast-paced times. At the same time, there is a strong dynamism in the very nature of our industry. And, for me, the changes that this dynamism brings with it are an opportunity to create something new. Of course this can be exhausting sometimes - but doing is better than complaining. Only by doing we can make new opportunities from changes together."
The courage to make mistakes
Many years ago, there was a situation that has been burned into my memory. I told my boss at the time that we had made some mistakes, and his answer was: "We have tried things out!” An answer that I was not expecting. This new perspective of mistake-culture was crucial for me. This is based on the trial-and-error method, so the conscious acceptance of mistakes in order to ultimately reach the correct solution. I can only encourage everyone to recognize the added value in mistakes. But then also to be able to own your mistakes and learn from them. This helps us all advance."
Cross-functional thinking
"We now work in cross-functional teams. This means that the different departments sit together at one table or on one floor. I find this very enriching, particularly as a manager. We are all now closer together, have direct interaction, and have a better understanding of the respective duties of each other. Only this way we can master the challenges of the future, when we have the same goal in sight, and say together as a team: We can do it."
