Comedian Joe Lycett legally changed his name to Hugo Boss to protest the fashion house ‘targetting small companies and charities’ who use the word ‘boss’ in their names.
The 31-year-old pulled a classic Lycett move and went out of his way to prove a point.
Making the announcement on Twitter, Joe (sorry, Hugo) shared the document stating his name was changed to Hugo Boss.
He wrote: ‘So @HUGOBOSS (who turnover approx $2.7 billion a year) have sent cease & desist letters to a number of small businesses & charities who use the word ‘BOSS’ or similar, including a small brewery in Swansea costing them thousands in legal fees and rebranding.
‘It’s clear that @HUGOBOSS HATES people using their name. Unfortunately for them this week I legally changed my name by deed poll and I am now officially known as Hugo Boss. All future statements from me are not from Joe Lycett but from Hugo Boss. Enjoy.’
He even has a new signature where the Hugo looks phenomenally phallic.
Fans stood by the now Hugo’s decision, praising him for ‘fighting the good fight.’
One user commented: ‘[Clapping emoji] Fighting the good fight, You could say you are Hugo Bossing it.’
‘I didn’t think I could love you anymore AND YET HERE WE ARE,’ another posted.
A fan questioned: ‘OMG, did you really do this? Of course you did, you’re Joe, erm I mean you’re Hugo Boss!’
Joe’s protest refers to Welsh brewery Boss Brewing who fell into a legal battle with the fashion house when it applied to trademark its name.
The owners Sarah John and Roy Allkin were dragged into a four-month battle after the luxury brand wrote them a letter stating they needed to ‘stop using [the name] immediately’.
Their ‘champion of beer’ Boss Black and supermarket best-seller Boss Boss had to be renamed – making the couple spend more time and money on individually swapping their labels.
Their drinks have been renamed to Boss Brewing Black and Bossy Bossy.
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