“All the ingredients are known, it’s how you put them together that’s unique” – Todd Snyder
Hospitality
As a nation, Britain prides itself on its hospitality tourism, café culture and quirky and traditional pubs which draws in visitors from around the world. With more and more demand for places to eat and drink, venues need to stand out to attract customers. This can be done in a variety of ways, for example interesting interior styles, the variety of produce they offer and perhaps the staff dressed in a particular style or trend that may appeal to them or those that are recognisable.
Hospitality uniform needs to be as hard working as the people wearing them, they must stand the test of time through the dinner rush, spills and maybe even the occasional burn or two. They should also be appealing to the customers, especially the uniform for front of house staff as they are in the most customer-facing environment. The uniform also needs to fit in with the style of the business, for example; is the venue more McDonalds or Michelin, you wouldn’t dress these wearers the same.
Below are some of the most important features of a hospitality uniform.
Functionality
We want to make sure a uniform is functional and practical but also that it looks good, appeals to the customers and goes with the décor and style of the interior. It has to fit in. Although style is important, if the uniform doesn’t suit the job role it will only frustrate wearers and make them less efficient.
For example, we design and make aprons with large, functional pockets and pouches which allow space for the essential items that the wearers need. This includes a notepad, pens, Ipads and Iphones, we cater to the individual needs of a business.
Fabrics that are stain and water resistant are also very practical in this environment, with these materials becoming more and more common in uniforms.
Wearers
Staff need to feel confident in their uniform in order for them to keep their morale up and complete tasks effectively and efficiently. If staff are happy in their uniform they will feel proud to represent the business and create a cool, friendly atmosphere for customers.
We always ensure our uniform is designed to fit a varying range of sizes and body shapes as we want wearers to be comfortable. We make male and female uniforms in both a classic and modern fit in order to flatter and sit comfortably. It’s important to make the uniforms subtly different so the women feel as though they have their own uniform and not just a replicate of the mens. This is done through creating feminine shapes and introducing slimmer fitting garments.
We are always available to help with fitting sessions in store or at focus groups to ensure staff are able to choose the right size and cut in order for them to look and feel amazing in their uniform.
On-Trend
Our in-house designers regularly research current and future trends to ensure that uniform will reflect the latest fashions and will continue to do so for the duration of the uniform’s life cycle.
We introduce modern trends such as denim, khaki colours and chinos to create a contemporary but professional look that customers generally respond well to. However if the business requires a more traditional look we also cater for this by providing excellent tailoring pieces.
Fabric trends such as permacool stretch can also be introduced to shirting and tailoring to create a comfortable, corporate look that ensures wearers can work efficiently whilst still looking smart.
Branding
Branding on uniforms is important as it enhances brand awareness for customers. Uniforms must ‘fit-in’ with the brand, meaning the colours must blend and they must be of the same formality as your business. Colour must be taken into consideration as it should tie into the brand as this helps you become recognisable to customers. The colour can either link to your logo or the interior of the venue.
Why is hospitality uniform important?
Businesses work hard to develop a unique image for their brand, however due to a limited and almost stereotypical marketplace, staff end up wearing the same uniform as their competitors/neighbours. The same white shirt/black trousers combination has been used for many businesses, whilst still practical, many company’s are now looking for something more exciting. We aim to offer something different to make staff stand out from the crowd and really promote the brand. Restaurant dress code is a thing of the past – anything goes! This is as a result of the casualisation of fine dining, with customers caring less about the formality of their waiting staff.
We understand that different job roles have different requirements and we make sure to cater to this. From managers to waiters to kitchen staff, each job role will be carefully looked into to ensure that each uniform is suitable.
Recently we are seeing demand for more casual uniforms for the hospitality sector. Staff want to offer good, personable hospitality to customers, and this cannot happen when they feel uncomfortable. Waiters and waitresses can often seem overdressed, when ultimately they need to match the mood of the business.
