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Hugo Boss suits-Not worth the Money?

Okay, so I have to ask: is there a general consensus that Hugo Boss suits are overpriced and definitely not worth a serious financial investment (e.g. $800+ for one suit). I ask because I have been on a few different message boards where a lot of guys seem to think that Hugo Boss doesn't give you much actual "high-end quality" considering what they charge. In other words, I have been told not to buy a new Boss suit, because my $800-$1000.00 can purchase a MUCH better suit than anything Boss offers. Is this true? If it is, can you guys give me the names of some designers whom you think make better suits than Boss does?
 
Check out samuelsohn. I would not waste my money on Hugo boss.

grayson, I appreciate the response, but can you please flesh that out a little for me. Why, exactly, do you say that you wouldnt "waste" your money on Hugo Boss? Does Boss have a reputation for using shoddy fabrics or for poor tailoring? Are there suits just not durable/"long-lasting." What are everyone's primary issues with Hugo Boss suits? I am genuinely curious. Thanks.
 
So how much should a Samuelsohn MTM run? A couple places near me offer them, just wondering what a reasonable price is. I'm not looking at big and tall or anything.
 
Hugo Boss are overpriced, inferior materials,fused &lots more. If you have to go with a designer label, go with Burberry or top shelf Polo. You can buy a much better suit for the money that you will spend on that boss shop. Any small high end shops don't carry them & its because they are crap. A few shops that come to mind( Paul simon, fairclough &company in Charlotte. Grady Ervin, Berlins, Ben silver, in Charleston & many more. If you or anyone else wishes to spend their money on boss , feel free but don't say you were not warned. Best.grayson
 
Boss is generally frowned upon because they are a big company with an established name that gets away with selling suits based on that name. Samuelsohn is generally lauded because they make their suits "fully canvassed" which makes for a better fit, and a longer lasting suit. Boss suits are half canvassed or fused. Google "men's suit construction" if curious about what this means.

But Samuelsohn suits are much harder to find in US, especially off the rack. There is one made to measure location I've found for them here in Los Angeles. Samuelsohn gets lauded because they are usually the least expensive fully canvassed suit you can find. Can sometimes be found for around $900-$1,200.

Most other big name fully canvassed suits go for a price point of around $1,600 - $2,500 (Hickey Freeman, Canali, Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece).

Also so be very aware, the state of modern retail salesman and men's clothing is such that many salesmen won't know what you mean if you ask if a suit is fully canvassed. They may bluff, or outright lie. Some suit makers like Brooks Brothers, Hickey Freeman and Armani make a range of suits- some of which are fused, some of which are half canvass and some of which are fully canvassed. Price is usually the indicator.

Be aware too, many of the big name designers like Ralph Lauren and Armani have several different price point lines with varying degrees of quality. A Ralph Lauren bought at Macy's is not the same quality as Ralph Lauren bought at Barneys New York or a Ralph Lauren boutique.

I have a couple of Boss suits that are ok-ish. But once you ask expert opinions on suits, you will always get the fully canvassed argument, and Samuelsohn will usually pop up as the thriftiest quality option.

To me, fit is king. If you really like the look of a Boss suit on you and it fits you well, go for it. They are not "terrible junk." But as with any male pursuit forum, the "experts" will always point out what the better quality options are. As wet shavers, we all know that there are many men shaving away daily with disposable razors and canned goo. To suit guys, Boss is Bic razor and Edge Gel in a can.
 
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I think you also need to compare cost and consider the decreasing marginal utility from spending more money on a suit.

You can get a bespoke suit for $20,000 or spend $50 for a suit from Goodwill and $100 to get that suit from Goodwill tailored, and 99% of people will not be able to tell the difference. Even if you come across the 1% of people who can tell the difference, you are never going to ruin a funeral, not get a job, etc. just because your suit is not from Savile Row. At $1,500, that Samuelsohn better last you twice as long as the Hugo Boss suit, which probably will never happen, assuming you have a rotation of suits, never wear them on consecutive days, etc.

So, yes, you can get a better suit for $800, but most of the suits at the $800 pricepoint have already crossed the threshold of quality. Get the suit that fits better and makes you feel better. If you prefer the Hugo Boss suit, get it. If you want a nicer suit, get one. My only problem with Hugo Boss (and I do have one of their suits) is that they are a stereotypical designer- they sell clothes at a good-enough-quality, but attract most of their customers because of their name.

That being said, YMMV (unless you are on Style Forum, where even the Samuelsohn suit might be scoffed at :lol:).
 
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Samuelsohn are in every upscale Mens stores across the country & I have not seen any post anywhere where they were not well thought of. Right now they are considered the best off the rack or MTM out there. I also would like to see the article where Hugo boss is half canvas.
 
I will speak up for Boss in the fit. Yes you can get a better quality suit but the thing about Boss is you are getting a great fit. The pattern of the suit results in a sharp look like Versace or Armani for much less. Yes any suit gets taylored but the look with Boss is sharp, in style, and just nice. I shopped heavy once I knew my Boss size and got a nice one for $500.00. Saks often has them priced low as does Nordstroms. Boss also has factory stores. My dress pants are also Boss as well as another Jacket and the fit is just right. The fit is key and worth it for me, I tired lots of brands and if I need something I just get it instead of endless shopping. I get compliments and attention from women like nothing else when I wear HB. When 95% of guy are fashion clueless you will standout with the right cuts. Kenneth Cole is something to look at if you want to go down a step in price and get taylored. Hi cuts and patterns are not bad at all for the price.
 
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Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I will speak up for Boss in the fit. Yes you can get a better quality suit but the thing about Boss is you are getting a great fit. The pattern of the suit results in a sharp look like Versace or Armani for much less.

Every suitmaker is going to have a "house style" or "cut", and what fits one chap to a "T" will look like a potato sack on another guy and vice versa. We tend to understand this concept a lot easier with shoes, where we know about different "lasts" and widths. I'd suggest anyone new to suits try a few different manufacturers and see what fits best.
 
I have no experience with Hugo Boss but I used to wear Armani many years ago. The suits were not practical in most situations and would crease up easily whenever I sat. I started wearing regular pants while driving before changing into my Armani suit, in the car, at my destination. Needless to say, I decided one day the whole process was ridiculous and stopped buying high fashion suits.
 
Hugo Boss as a brand started as a tailor in Germany, so the main focus on their suits is fit... now they use fabric from mills like Tesse and Drago , so they aren't sacrificing any quality on fabric just because they ficus on fit.
Now as far as half canvassed, canvass, or fused, a canvas suit is better but why it's better is usually overlooked. A canvass suit uses very little glue, which in turn allows for the jacket to breath a little better. The only way an average or even most self renowned "suit conessouirs" can tell if a jacket is canvassed or fused is by looking at the lapel. On a fused suit the lapel will fold more than a canvassed suit in which the lapel will create more of a natural roll.

Hugo Boss get a a bad rap because they branched out into casual wear and made a name for themselves. But in no way shape or form are Hugo Boss suits bad suits. They know what how they started as a company and tbeh havr stayed true to focusing on fit and with that being said a Hugo Boss suit will be the best fitting suit you will ever wear
 
Boss is generally frowned upon because they are a big company with an established name that gets away with selling suits based on that name. Samuelsohn is generally lauded because they make their suits "fully canvassed" which makes for a better fit, and a longer lasting suit. Boss suits are half canvassed or fused. Google "men's suit construction" if curious about what this means.

But Samuelsohn suits are much harder to find in US, especially off the rack. There is one made to measure location I've found for them here in Los Angeles. Samuelsohn gets lauded because they are usually the least expensive fully canvassed suit you can find. Can sometimes be found for around $900-$1,200.

Most other big name fully canvassed suits go for a price point of around $1,600 - $2,500 (Hickey Freeman, Canali, Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece).

Also so be very aware, the state of modern retail salesman and men's clothing is such that many salesmen won't know what you mean if you ask if a suit is fully canvassed. They may bluff, or outright lie. Some suit makers like Brooks Brothers, Hickey Freeman and Armani make a range of suits- some of which are fused, some of which are half canvass and some of which are fully canvassed. Price is usually the indicator.

Be aware too, many of the big name designers like Ralph Lauren and Armani have several different price point lines with varying degrees of quality. A Ralph Lauren bought at Macy's is not the same quality as Ralph Lauren bought at Barneys New York or a Ralph Lauren boutique.

I have a couple of Boss suits that are ok-ish. But once you ask expert opinions on suits, you will always get the fully canvassed argument, and Samuelsohn will usually pop up as the thriftiest quality option.

To me, fit is king. If you really like the look of a Boss suit on you and it fits you well, go for it. They are not "terrible junk." But as with any male pursuit forum, the "experts" will always point out what the better quality options are. As wet shavers, we all know that there are many men shaving away daily with disposable razors and canned goo. To suit guys, Boss is Bic razor and Edge Gel in a can.

This is an awesome post!
 
IMO, the two Hugo Boss suits I have are inferior to my BB 1818 suits and they are not far from each other in terms of price.

The Boss suits were gifts, so I gladly wear them and they garner compliment like my others, but the quality in the fabric just isn't there. They remind me more of the JcPenney suit I used for my first job interview more than my BB suits.

The other downside was the drop to the pants. I wear a 36S, and a 30 waist. The Boss trousers were massive, definitely not a 6" drop like I generally expect. I had to have them tailored in and they are still loose since the tailor could only shrink the waist so much before it requires a recut.
 
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