Have you watched Tom Ford’s “A Single Man” or Woody Allen’s “Match Point”? Then you definitely remember the talented British actor Matthew Goode, who starred in both movies. Today he’s here in Berlin to see the HUGO Fashion Show and stopped by earlier at the fitting to pick out his outfit for the red carpet. He’s charming, down-to-earth and really funny. In the first picture he’s cuddling our PR girl Ellen, the second photo was shot during his fitting with HUGO menswear designer Bart and the third picture shows him filling out our HUGO questionnaire. Since I haven’t got access to a scanner right now, I guess this little shot will do. And just so you know, according to Matthew fashion is… “an interesting sideline.”
Follow me on twitter and instagram to get the latest news and insights – live from the HUGO Fashion Show Spring/Summer 2013 in Berlin.

Here’s a quick hello from Berlin Fashion Week. From the HUGO show location’s backstage area to be precise. The city is buzzing with excitement and so are we. Today we’ve been busy fitting the final show looks on our runway models, who are not only drop-dead gorgeous, but also lots of fun. There are so many newcomers walking this time, for example charming French model Adrien Sahores from Paris (top picture, on the right) or down-to-earth cutie Robin Ahrens from Cologne (top picture, on the left). Wanna see more behind the scenes shots? Curious which celebrities will be attending the HUGO Fashion Show tomorrow? Follow me on instagram and twitter. There you get all the news – live, first-hand and uncensored, of course.

When it comes to a fashion show, there are always a few questions popping up in my mind immediately. What are the new trends, new colors, new shapes and – most important – where exactly does the designer take his inspiration from? So when I spent some time at the HUGO menswear fitting last week, I took the chance to ask all the questions someone who has to have some answers. And now, I’m sharing it with you. Here’s my interview with HUGO menswear designer Bart de Backer.

What’s new for Spring/Summer 2013?
Well the idea of this collection is looking at the constant transformation and digitalization and its impacts on our lives. We are looking at the classic tailoring and put this tradition in today’s world where we have high technological material everywhere and then create a new vision based on that.

What about the colors for Spring/Summer 2013?
For me spring starts softly and then it’s gonna be like a firework… blue, spring green and also a little bit of citron combined with some off-tones. Spring/Summer 2013 is a lot about colors but also about using very different materials together.

Any comebacks?
I wouldn’t say that. It’s an evolution. We started last winter season with techno tailoring. What I do now is an evolution on what I did before but it’s again a step further. So you can be very curious about the new collection.

What is the most important thing in a man’s wardrobe?
That is definitely a tuxedo jacket. When you look at HUGO you have jackets which you can wear the whole day. Suitable for all occasions – from breakfast to work to dinner and to go out with. You step out wearing your tuxedo jacket and you look good no matter the occasion!

What is your design philosophy?
I love new things. I always try to put two opposite things against each other. Old with new or sporty with dressed. And also: I don’t like complicated fashion. Although you can have the most amazing design, it has to have some easiness. You have to put it on and you have to feel: I look good!

Where do you take your inspiration from?
My inspiration is actually very diverse. It depends on the moment. I can take inspiration from a museum as well as from the street. It could be a picture or a movie I saw or a book that I’ve read. You know how it is: You walk into a museum and you see something new and it doesn’t get out of your mind. Besides that what I really love is watching people. Something I love to do all my live. Especially unfashionable people. I look to everything on the street and I like how people sometimes dress themselves very individual without being fashionable – this is kind of an inspiration for me.

Who are your personal icons in the fashion industry?
There was one woman that I really admired and that was Coco Chanel. She made fashion out of her own reality. She had a problem with dressing and she solved it for herself. This is what I really liked.

What’s next for Bart de Backer?
Well HUGO is getting 20 next year and I’m completely into the history of HUGO and about to do something new with it. But for this time that’s all I can tell you about it yet.

Are you excited about the upcoming HUGO Fashion Show in Berlin?
Yes. And it’s gonna be the best show ever… again! It will be amazing because it is again a new approach of HUGO and a step forward into the HUGO vision!

Thank you so much for this inspiring interview, Bart!

Like our models and the HUGO stylist before, Bart also filled in a little personal questionnaire for you. And guess what’s the one thing we have in common: we do not like to wake up early!

Time to get some some answers from “new face” Cora Emmanuel. Miss Sunshine kept on smiling throughout the whole fitting and told me how much she loves her job and that she really likes being busy. Want to know more about Cora? Here you go…

Let’s see what up-and-coming German model Lennart Richter filled in the blanks on our HUGO questionnaire… Hey – this is probably the most chaotic questionnaire I’ve had in hands for a long time. But Lennart was so sweet and explained how I have to read it: Start horizontally, go on vertically and follow the arrow at the end. Got it?

Meeting new likeminded people is always fun. So I was very excited to finally get to know our new HUGO stylist Tom van Dorpe at the HUGO Fashion Show Fitting on Tuesday. We instantly realized that we are on the same wavelength since we are both obsessed with fashion and the whole fashion industry. So after the fitting we grabbed a coffee, relaxed on our headquarter’s terrace and started talking…

How did you become a stylist and fashion editor?
To make a long story short, I always knew I wanted to work in fashion. I am from Belgium and there is the famous Antwerp Academy so I was contemplating to go there. But when I went to see the school I realized that I was not really interested in making clothes but in all the other aspects of fashion, which are fashion photography, the models, the fashion shows. And I knew I wanted to work on that and do something with all the collections and work with different designers rather than designing my own clothing line. So most people who want to work in fashion go to a design school. I went to Paris and worked as an intern and stylist assistant. I did that for a while and then moved to New York and there it just sort of happened and I started working as a stylist and fashion editor. I was very young when I decided what I wanted to become and then I just kept going in the same direction. But of course, I was also very lucky.

What’s new for Spring/Summer 2013?
The new HUGO collection has a very sharp silhouette. It’s a constructed minimal luxe look, which is the DNA of the brand. Right now this look is very popular and trendy. Just look at Céline and Jil Sander – people love this minimal luxe feeling and HUGO offers it, but at an affordable price. With the HUGO collection you get the same designer feeling and quality, but you don’t have to feel guilty for months for spending too much money. What I also like about this look is that it’s timeless and modern at the same time. So I really enjoy working for HUGO since it also reflects my personal style.

Speaking of personal style, which characters from the fashion industry have impressed you with their personal style?
I admire Carine Roitfeld for sure. She’s a woman who makes you dream.

Let’s talk more about trends… what’s the shoe of the moment?
If you think of main stream trends I’d probably say the wedge sneaker, but now you see it everywhere. Personally I have always loved the classic pointy pumps. It works with everything and I’ve been placing it in almost every shoot I was doing during this season. I keep using it. It gives women an edge and a certain attitude. I also love elegant sandals and have used a lot of them for shoots. I really prefer elegant to chunky shoes because they’re simply more attractive.

Summer skirts and dresses 2013 – mini, mid-length or maxi?
These days it’s very hard to define one trend because there are so many different ones going in different directions. I think this season it’s definitely not a tight silhouette, but a shorter and wider style. On the runway you see the full-length skirts and evening gowns and in real life it’s translated into a shorter A-line skirt.

How about jeans and pants – which style should we invest in next season?
I think right now people are looking for pants that are not super-skinny, but have a classic regular fit like the cigarette pants. I think we’re past the skinny trend and are heading towards a more comfortable and relaxed style. Especially guys don’t really want to wear that tight fit anymore, it’s too uncomfortable and the look is simply too trendy.

What are the three basics every woman should have in her closet?
A pencil skirt, a tuxedo jacket and a little black dress.

And what’s the perfect outfit for a first date?
You have to wear something feminine, but it should not be too sexy, of course. The most important thing though is not to try too hard to please the other one. If you really like what you are wearing you will look relaxed. But never wear prints on a first date. They give away to much already.

How about the perfect look for a job interview?
I really believe in power dressing. The fit is very important. So I would recommend a fitted jacket with strong shoulders and heels, but not too high. Then the rest of the outfit doesn’t matter so much.

Which fashion and streetstyle blogs do you read?
Well, I look at style.com every day, I read the WWD blog and American VOGUE. When it comes to personal blogs, I only read blogs of people I know, for example the beauty blog IntoTheGloss.com and my friend’s vintage style blog TalesOfEndearment.com. And I am also a big fan of interior blogs. I’m more interested in where and how people live rather than in the clothes they have. Everything that’s posted on personal style blogs is already passé. I don’t want to see what a person was wearing last week. Instead, I want to see what’s next. That’s why I love style.com.

Thank you for this inspiring interview, Tom!

Of course, I also made Tom fill out a little personal questionnaire for you. The statement “Fashion is looking forward” will definitely make it into my little collection of #quotes.

Now you’ve already seen some insights from the HUGO womenswear fitting yesterday. So guess what’s next? Today, it’s time for the gentlemen and time to sneak a peek behind the scenes of the HUGO menswear fitting for the upcoming HUGO Fashion Show Spring/Summer 2013.
Bart de Backer, Senior Head of Creative Management HUGO Menswear, and HUGO stylist Tom van Dorpe picked out the final looks for the HUGO Fashion Show on July, 5th. As you can guess from the pictures, navy blue, cobalt and slate grey might play a major role for HUGO Menswear Spring/Summer 2013. But it’s just guessing… we will know it for sure in Berlin on July 5th when the looks are finally presented on the runway! Wanna see more behind the scenes shots? Follow me on twitter and instagramfor live updates.

As you know, when it comes to a menswear fitting, it’s also about enjoying some eye candy! The two male models Lennart Richter and Arthur De Valbray were in a good mood and kept joking around so we had fitting fun all day. This brings us to the point I’ve mentioned yesterday: introducing to you the people behind the HUGO brand, the designers, the stylist and the runway models. The people who are turning HUGO into a minimalist, avant-garde and classy fashion brand.
So today I’m introducing to you up-and-coming French male model Arthur De Valbray, who will also be walking the HUGO Fashion Show.

Whenever you see all creative HUGO minds gather in front of a pin board you know that the final fashion show looks are about to be selected. It’s the most joyful moment of a long day of fitting and styling the show looks. And that’s exactly what we’ve been up to at the HUGO BOSS headquarters yesterday and today.
Funnily enough this scene reminded me of pinning my own favorite looks, fashion pieces and inspirations on our virtual pin boards on pinterest. It’s addictive. Especially when there’s a sweepstake happening… However, when I want to deliver photos and inspirations as fast as possible, I share them on instagram and twitter. This is also where you can find all the behind the scenes snapshots from yesterday’s HUGO womenswear fitting and today’s HUGO menswear fitting.
This time, I would like to take the opportunity and introduce the people behind the HUGO brand, the designers, the stylist and our runway models here on the blog. These are the people who are turning HUGO into what it is: A firework of minimalist, avant-garde and classy fashion. So let’s start with our gorgeous up-and-coming fitting model Nadja Bender, who will also be walking the HUGO Fashion Show.

When it comes to loving fashion there is always one major event everyone is waiting for: The next fashion show. Now  I am happy to announce that the new HUGO Collection Spring/Summer 2013 will be presented at Berlin Fashion Week on July 5, 2012. And as always I will make sure you receive all behind the scenes news and gossip via twitter. Of course, we will also publish the video of the fashion show here on the HUGO Blog and on all mobile devices, so that you can all figuratively sit in the front row. If you know HUGO you must know that fashion show time also means that there are some exciting specials and experiences waiting for you…

Do you love pinning on pinterest as much as I do? Then take part in the very first HUGO Fashion Show sweepstake on pinterest… Follow us on pinterest and find out how to enter the sweepstake in the following post later on today here on the HUGO Blog.

Would you like to get to know the HUGO Tracks artists Nina Kraviz and Kasper Bjørke? Follow us on instagram where Nina and Kasper are sharing snapshots of their daily routine, their experiences and of the inspiring and interesting people they meet. Simply watch out for posts marked #byNina and #byKasper. Nina and Kasper will also play a major part in the HUGO Fashion Show, but I’ll tell you more about that later on.

Also coming up on the HUGO Blog: Interviews with HUGO designers Eyan Allen and Bart de Backer, exclusive snapshots from the fitting and insights on some up-and-coming models. Make sure you stick around!