HUGO knows how to throw an event. Last weekend at Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, the German brand set up shop in the tropical city's Wynwood Art District to celebrate its apparel and eyewear partnership with the Visa Cash App Red Bull (or VCARB, as the racing insiders called it) F1 team. Called "HUGO GARAGE," the all-red space was modeled after mechanics' workshops and hosted the coolest people all weekend from the worlds of fashion, racing, music and street culture.
Whereas BOSS is more buttoned-up and classic, HUGO is like the more rebellious, younger sibling. Think graphic tees, pastel knitwear and suiting with playful cuts and slinky dresses. Considering its cooler demographic, the brand brought in music streamer and club promoter Boiler Room to kick off the weekend with a rager along with favorite faces like Gabbriette, Swae Lee, YG Marley and Avantika Vandanapu.
As the sun began to set in Miami, guests lined up to enter the garage long before doors opened. Once inside, they could take photos with a life-sized replica of the VCARB car, customize hats with spikes and gears, design a T-shirts with a selection of different screen prints and colors from artist Jordan Watts, or airbrush a HUGO scent bottle. But it didn't take long for everyone to make their way to the bar as DJ sets started pumping for cocktails and Cuban snacks. The crowd was like the extended family of Brooklyn's own nightlife crowd of drag queens, DJs, hosts, producers and club rats — who all threw ass while La Goony Chonga and Ivy Queen took the stage.
“We tapped into F1 fandom from a uniquely HUGO point of view and showcased the weekend’s events across our brand channels, to connect with our current HUGO audience and to expand our fanbase whilst capturing the attention of racing fans around the world,” said Nadia Kokni, SVP of Global Marketing and Brand Communications at HUGO BOSS.
Expanding its reach meant that HUGO hoped to make the sport more accessible (tickets run around $1,000), so it partnered with LOVE RACING and AFROFUTURE for the rest of the weekend, which even had an F1-inspired, arcade-style setup where players could compete in races to see who'd get the fastest lap by remotely controlling miniature cars with steering wheels and gas pedals. Then, to close out the weekend, AFROFUTURE celebrated Africa’s cultural diversity and artistry with a performance by Afrobeats artist Victony and DJ sets by TxC, Ethan Thomas and MC Lolahsti. It all truly seemed fitting in honoring Miami's Afro-Caribbean influence.
Photography: Matt Weinberger and Bishop Elegino
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