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A good uniform is one that reflects a company’s brand, says Fashionizer MD Debbie Leon

We at Fashionizer were approached a couple of weeks ago by The Sunday Times for our views on the growing tendency for hotels and spas to approach big name designers to create their uniforms.  The thinking seems to be that enlisting a high profile designer can create a buzz where there might not have been one before.

This is possibly one of our MD’s favourite subjects:  the importance of having a uniform that mirrors, adds to, but certainly does not eclipse the hotel’s brand values and is fit for purpose.

She tells The Sunday Times, “It’s not about uniforms making a statement as clothing in their own right; it’s about reflecting the USP of each property.”

Our picture shows the staff at Ace Hotel. Set in the heart of London’s Shoreditch, one of the funkiest parts of town, where the hotel have gone for urban chic with a hint of that just-left-the-office look.

“Because of where the hotel is, and the youthful clientele they are wanting to attract, the uniform is a fit with what they are trying to achieve. Having said that, at Fashionizer, we might have tried to introduce a little more individuality into some of the detail.”

But even that has to be used wisely. In the pursuit of individuality, it’s possible to get over-excited.One of the hotels featured in the article is in Sydney, and the staff are dressed in a burlesque style, with skinny Lycra tights, sharp orange wigs and glitzy accessories.  It’s not a look that would engage every guest – although it might appeal to others rather more than we would want to think about.  We would also query the impact of this specific type of uniform on a hotel’s recruitment policy: would you be employed on your ability to perform exceptional reception duties and top quality customer care, or your expertise in basque-wearing?

And remember, if a guest thinks the best thing about a hotel is what the staff are wearing, then it might be that the balance has swung a little away from the main purpose of a good uniform: to enhance guest experience.

See The Sunday Times article here

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[…] and, significantly, in line with its target market. We have also blogged in the past about the Australian hotel that decided that an eye-popping burlesque Basque-wearing look was the way to go – for female […]