Hugo Boss’ sales have fallen in the first fiscal quarter of the year, with a “volatile” environment prompting calls for implementing the next stage of its growth strategy.

First quarter sales of $1.06 billion, a 6.1 per cent decrease on the year prior, were accompanied by a 42 per cent fall in EBIT (earnings before interest and tax).

“The market environment has become more challenging over the course of the first quarter, caused by recent developments in the Middle East,” Daniel Grieder, CEO of Hugo Boss, said.

“We made tangible progress in implementing our targeted brand and channel realignment, including streamlining product assortments and refining our global distribution footprint. As expected, these deliberate actions are reflected in our top-line performance and mark the first concrete steps in structurally refocusing the business and strengthening long-term earnings quality.”

Sales in the Americas fell by 5 per cent. Europe, the Middle East, and Africa suffered the worst regional decline at 8 per cent. Retail performance fell by 3 per cent, while wholesale sales fell by 10 per cent.

“Against an increasingly challenging external backdrop, we remain firmly focused on executing our strategy, actively managing the business with flexibility and discipline,” Grieder added. 

Hugo Boss forecasts its full-year sales to decline to a mid-to-high single-digit percentage increase from 2025.