HUGO Is Taking the Leap. Will You?
The safest option is usually the smartest one, right? HUGO’s Red Means Go champions those who go their own way. The brand’s new ‘platform for ambition’ taps into that familiar tension between what you’re supposed to do and what you actually want—and it backs people who choose the latter.
The color red stands for friction, for any time someone tells you to slow down, to pursue a more traditional path. But many young people today are accepting that as a challenge to make a move, rejecting systems that no longer serve their interests and instead building their own. Whether it’s taking a leap into a creative career or simply having the strength and ambition to do something that’s truly fulfilling, Red Means Go is for those who change direction, walk away from the wrong path, or start over entirely—not because it’s easy, but because it feels right.
Visually and conceptually, Red Means Go plays with the kind of questions and doubts that usually hold people back. It focuses on knowing when to move, when to pivot, quit, risk it, or just trust your gut before everything makes perfect sense. Because those “too risky” decisions people question, side-eye, or straight-up don’t get? That’s usually where things actually begin.
The faces of the campaign are as dynamic as the message itself. HUGO brings together a group of artists and creatives from across disciplines, all of whom share a moment of doubt in their pasts which drove them forward: there’s Berlin-based actors and brothers Aaron and Leo Altaras, photographer and director Tereza Mundilová, multidisciplinary artist and musician Cato, music curator Margeaux Labat, Temitayo Famakinwa working across art, media and digital culture, and bedroom DJ Nick Cheo. Each of them has a story of walking away from what was expected to build something of their own. We got some of their advice, their stories, and their hot takes below.
MARGEAUX
“Ambition for me now is not really what comes to mind when people think of ambition. I live in New York, so you're surrounded by a bunch of ambitious people—but in a way that makes me want to flip it on its head, to subvert the norm of what it means to be ambitious. I think being ambitious is rooted in honesty and authenticity. Just really being true to yourself and listening to what's really important to you. A lot of people don't know that because they're constantly distracted by thinking, "Oh, I have to meet these people. I have to be in these places and I like to be seen here." But I think taking time to pause and to really reflect and engage in introspection is how you find out what your creative drives are.”
TEMI
“My advice? Just be delusional. I'm such a big dreamer. And I think it's so important to put yourself out there, even when you're scared. People always say, "Do it scared." If you know what you want to do, don't be dissuaded by what people say. If you know strongly that where you're at or what you're doing right now, you're not enjoying, there's no point flogging a dead horse. Get out when you can. We have such a short time on earth and I think maximizing and milking the juice out of life is the best we can do as creatives.”
TEREZA
“One of the most beautiful parts about our job is days like today. I'm so happy always when I'm on set with amazing people—it’s something so special, and a beautiful motivation for me. Apart from that, there’s this urge to create, but also to document what's going on in the world. This is why I also love the connection between subcultures and the mainstream, just documenting what's happening and what it really means to be in a specific time and place. It’s also something that AI cannot really recreate. You can create beautiful images, but I think this preoccupation with what happened in a particular moment won't ever fade away.”
NICK
"If you know you're lit, then just do it. Individualism is a cool thing and we don't see enough of it. I get bored really easily with the stuff I see online—not only with that, but also with myself. Keeping things interesting is the most important thing for me. I got this funny trait from my dad: anytime someone gets a little pissed off, he likes to egg them on. I like doing that too. If someone tells you no and is really upset with the way you live your life, then why not go harder and make them even more upset?”
CATO
"You have to listen to people when they challenge you about what you're doing, but you’ve also got to trust your instinct to follow through with what you know is right. I think a lot of times, even people you respect might give you advice that you know is not quite aligned with you, and you have to dig into what you really need to feel fulfilled. No one can really tell you that. Despite the risks involved in what you want to do, you have to feel confident and calm about your decision and just push forward."
LEO
“Sometimes you have to trust momentum even if it feels uncertain. Uncertainty of course feels scary, but sometimes that's the moment where you have to push through to get somewhere. And it's usually very rewarding. Same thing with moving to another city: it feels scary, but then it feels so good to be away and start new things. I made my hobby into my job—it's very natural to do it. It's like there's no long days at work, because you do what you love. It's as simple as that."
AARON
"I'm infinitely curious about finding out why things work the way they work. And I'm incredibly interested in things that do not make sense, that are paradoxical, because the longer you live, and I'm not even that old, you realize that two things can be true at the same time. And I think that in film and art generally it is a very valuable notion to know things are not this or that. Things sometimes are mutually exclusive, but still happening at the same time."
If you’re ready to ditch the rules and go after what really matters to you, HUGO’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection is here for it. Catch the full campaign and grab the collection now at HUGO stores and online at hugo.com.
