The HUGO BOSS yacht, Alex Thomson and more

BOSS x Sailing

The HUGO BOSS yacht, Alex Thomson and more

BOSS x Sailing

Worn by Alex Thomson
Responsible Sailing Capsule

The new capsule, suitable for sailing and leisurewear, is crafted from responsible materials. Recycled polyester is woven using Social Plastic® yarn from Plastic Bank®, and the cotton is sourced from COTTONFORLIFE, which aims to promote a fully transparent, eco-friendly and socially responsible value chain.

 

new sailing capsule crafted by responsible styles by HUGO BOSS new sailing capsule crafted by responsible styles by HUGO BOSS
HUGO BOSS yacht with carbon fibre-inspired pattern and the colour palette of white, black and neon pink. HUGO BOSS yacht with carbon fibre-inspired pattern and the colour palette of white, black and neon pink.
The capsule's inspiration

Referencing the HUGO BOSS yacht, the pieces draw on the carbon fibre-inspired pattern and the colour palette of white, black and neon pink. The capsule's responsible focus also looks to the boat, which was designed to use reduced resources. For instance, the yacht's primary power source of sunlight, and the raw unpainted hull.

 

"For BOSS, this capsule represents another stage in the journey towards a more sustainable approach to fashion. I could not be prouder to be a part of that."

Alex Thomson

Alex Thomson about his BOSS collaboration and the approach towards more sustainability Alex Thomson about his BOSS collaboration and the approach towards more sustainability

  • Step into the world of sailing

    From epic voyages to sharing his incredible stories, sailor Alex Thomson has a packed schedule. Take a look at what Alex has been up to and what’s next for the round-the-world skipper and the HUGO BOSS yacht.

  • Alex Thompson on his new yacht from BOSS Alex Thompson on his new yacht from BOSS
    November 2020
    Vendée Globe

    The world’s toughest sailing challenge, a non-stop, unassisted and single-handed round-the-world race, begins on 8 November in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France. The Vendée Globe, a 24,000-mile course over approximately 75 days, is considered the Everest of sailing, and only 50% of entrants complete it. Alex finished in second place in 2016 – this time he aims for a win with his new yacht that launched in September 2019.

  • HUGO BOSS sailing boat on the Transat Jacque Vabre race HUGO BOSS sailing boat on the Transat Jacque Vabre race
    October-November 2019
    Transat Jacque Vabre

    The Transat Jacques Vabre race charts the historic coffee trading route between France and Brazil. Yachts sail from Le Havre, a leading French port, to Salvador de Bahia, in Brazil. The race begins on 27 October 2019.

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  • March - April 2019
    Latin America Hospitality Tour

    Alex Thomson and the HUGO BOSS boat stopped in Brazil and Mexico on their final tour before the new yacht was launched. Alex visited several BOSS stores, and special guests had the chance to experience a unique sailing trip with him onboard the boat. The tour spent March in Rio, Brazil and April in Cozumel, Mexico.

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  • HUGO BOSS sailing boat on the Route du Rhum HUGO BOSS sailing boat on the Route du Rhum
    November 2018
    Route du Rhum

    For the first time, Alex Thomson competed in the 3,542 nautical mile non-stop, single-handed race from France to the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, crossing the line in first place as the fastest boat in the fleet. The HUGO BOSS skipper was awarded third place overall due to a time penalty imposed after a technical problem. "There are a lot of positives to take away from this," Alex expressed.

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Ready to sail the world: the new HUGO BOSS yacht

Aboard the new HUGO BOSS yacht, round-the-world sailor Alex Thomson set sail through London's iconic Tower Bridge for the christening ceremony. The new HUGO BOSS boat was redesigned by Alex Thomson and his team, naval architects VPLP and boat builder Jason Carrington to improve the vessel’s performance and sustainability. Its appearance is striking, thanks to renowned designer Karim Rashid, who emblazoned it with a one-of-a-kind shade of pink. These talents came together with one singular mission: to create a groundbreaking yacht that wins the Vendée Globe in 2020.

HUGO BOSS sailing boat in London HUGO BOSS sailing boat in London
Skipper Alex Thomson Skipper Alex Thomson
Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
What was involved in the design process of the new boat?

The process of designing a racing yacht like this one is incredibly complex. We carry out lots of different tests and studies, and evaluate a lot of historical data on our previous boat, as well as looking at others in the fleet. All of this data helps us to form a better understanding of the direction we want to go in. Every element of the new boat, from the foils and the shape of the hull to the layout of the cockpit and working environment, has been designed by our team, together with VPLP, specifically for me as the skipper to race in the Vendée Globe.

Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
Where was the boat built and why did you select that location?

HUGO BOSS was built in Hythe, Southampton, UK under the direction of Jason Carrington who I believe to be one of the very best boat builders in the world. There is so much knowledge, experience and technique in that boat shed so, for us, it was the clear choice. It was also important to us, as a British team, to build the boat here in the UK, something which has allowed us to work incredibly closely with Jason and his team throughout the process.

 

Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
How many people worked on the project?

There are around 30 people at the boat yard itself. In addition to that, we have a team of about 10 internally who have worked across the project, as well as our wider team. We also then have our naval architects, VPLP, whom we continue to work very closely with. In total, more than 100 people have worked on the project across all areas.

Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
How do you feel about the colours on the new HUGO BOSS boat?

People have come to expect HUGO BOSS to be black with silver or white. But, of course, the IMOCA rules also state that specific areas of the boat must be fluoro for safety reasons. As a team, we have always made it our mission to lead, never to follow. We like to be first and for people to ask ‘what will they do next?’ When Karim’s initial designs came back and we saw the neon pink vision for the first time, it was unexpected for a lot of the team. But, for us, what better way to stand out from the rest of the fleet and continue to make a statement in this sport?

Skipper Alex Thomson and industrial designer Karim Rashid Skipper Alex Thomson and industrial designer Karim Rashid
One of a kind: bold pink

Known for his use of colour, Karim Rashid devised a striking neon pink design for the boat. For this, he, Alex Thomson Racing (ATR), and HUGO BOSS created a completely unique shade. The team received approval from the International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA) to use this colour, making it the first yacht of its kind to feature neon pink.

Interview with Karim Rashid

Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
You design everything from watches and furniture to bottles. What appealed to you about being involved in the design of a racing boat?

To brand the next HUGO BOSS sailing boat is an honour. It is special to work on this project as HUGO BOSS is such established brand, and Alex Thomson is so well respected in the sailing world. It is my diversity that affords me the ability to cross-pollinate ideas, materials, behaviours, aesthetics and language from one typology to the other and here was an opportunity to speak about speed, exclusivity, energy and courage through the visual aesthetics of the boat.

Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
Why did you choose the colour pink?

I think about using colours to create an experience, and to create human engagement. I love pink and techno colours – colours that have a vibrancy and energy, so they were a natural selection for the project. I am very graphic in all my work, be it interiors, products or architecture. They are blank canvases for colour, like a white seamless room on a movie set, a perfect stage for accessorising, for embellishing.

Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
What was the most challenging part of the design process of the brand identity?

Every round of designs had to be analysed from a performance perspective. It led to a lot of iterations and revisions but, ultimately, that helped us in finalising the best possible brand identity functionally and aesthetically, marrying HUGO BOSS and ATR with my own aesthetics.

Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat Design pattern of HUGO BOSS sailing boat
Where did you get your inspiration for the aesthetic design of the boat from?

Our design takes direct inspiration from the attributes and weave of carbon fibre, making it the focal point of the design. The lines in the pattern speak to each individual fibre found in every carbon strip that makes up the overall weave. The result is a hypnotic, endless weaving of lines that gives the boat a strong yet delicate nod to the fibre, which also elegantly addresses the theme of reduction.

For a rush of adrenaline: watch Alex's stunts

  • The Keel Walk
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  • The Mast Walk
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  • The Skywalk
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HUGO BOSS sailing boat HUGO BOSS sailing boat
All about the Vendée Globe

Known as the Everest of the Seas, the Vendée Globe is one of sailing's greatest challenges. We take a look at some facts and figures, which reveal why many sailors do not even reach the finish line.