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For His Second Season at Hugo Boss, Jason Wu Goes Into the Woods

Could Jason Wu be the hardest-working young man in fashion? When the designer rang me late yesterday evening, he was still in his studio, working away on his eponymous line. “And I haven’t even gone to my night job yet!” he laughed when I noted the time. His night job is, of course, designing for Hugo Boss, a brand for which he will present his second collection as creative director next week. Ahead of his highly anticipated debut last season, Wu teamed up with his longtime collaborators Inez & Vinoodh to create This Is Boss, a film starring Edie Campbell that helped to convey his focused vision for the house. A fusion of nature and architecture was the inspiration for both the Fall ’14 film and collection, and this concept, Wu asserted, will spill over into Spring. “We’ve established a base. We’ve established a look. And now it’s about being very consistent, being very rigorous about our vision of Boss womenswear,” he said. “I’m very excited to tell the next chapter in the story.”

(Image: white homecoming dress )

To help him tell the next chapter of his Hugo Boss tale, Wu enlisted video artist Marco Brambilla to create a short starring ethereal Finnish model Suvi Koponen. “Marco doesn’t often shoot models this way, and for the second This Is Boss, I wanted to collaborate with someone who works differently but still relates back to our world.” As for his choice to feature Koponen, Wu offered, “The film is very dramatic—there’s an orchestra in the background, but she looks as though she’s birthed from nature.”

Shot in the woods an hour outside Toronto, the short gives nature a high-tech boost via trees banded with LED lights. Koponen appears otherworldly as she waltzes through Boss’ futuristic forest in a paneled white gown that is at once strict, geometric, and featherlight. The film (and a first look at the Spring ’15 collection) premieres exclusively here.

After Wu gave me the rundown on This Is Boss: The Sequel (and according to the designer, there will be many more in seasons to come, each offering a new take on his vision), I couldn’t help but ask for a few hints about the sophomore lineup, which will hit the runway on September 10. “It’s going to be a very different take on architecture vs. nature,” he said. “And you can expect a great front row!” Considering last season’s showgoers included Reese Witherspoon, Gerard Butler, Diane Kruger, and Gwyneth Paltrow, I don’t doubt it.

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