Uniform appeal

Uniform designers and suppliers explain why their main aim is to dress your teams to reflect your hotel’s image and highlight the common mistakes that could stop your staff from shining

EMILE RASSAM

For Elie Rassam, managing director of Emile Rassam, uniform is a word that doesn’t even come into the equation when partnering with hotel companies — instead, the approach is to design wardrobes to reflect the hotel’s image. And with 60 years in the business, this focus is clearly a successful one.

Rassam explains: “Our approach is simple, we design wardrobes. Uniform is a word we try not to use, the way hotels today avoid calling their associates ‘staff’.

“The value of designing a wardrobe is that in essence it’s a reflection of the hotel’s image. I like to think of it as the way that an actor goes to wardrobe before going on stage to assume their part — an associate dresses the same way before their performance.”

Rassam says that themed wardrobes in hotels is a trend that has been dominant for five years and while he expects this to continue, Rassam observes: “Personally, I feel it is becoming more difficult to really identify the theme of certain projects, as they seem to be an accumulation of many others”.

“If you want your wardrobe to be unique you need to challenge the designer and dare to be different,” says Rassam.

As a result, he says “innovation is really the name of the game”.

“We are now able to manufacture fabrics that are specific to the hotel as part of their objective to create a unique wardrobe,” says Rassam.

However, he maintains that despite the fact every hotel now wants to design its own wardrobe with a unique look to stand out from the rest, it is important to exercise some caution with creativity.

“If it isn’t managed well, [it] can result in a complete disaster, no harmony in the hotel and a wardrobe that simply shouts at the interiors,” observes Rassam.

He also points out that the most challenging uniforms to design are those for the door service staff — doormen, bell boys and valets.

“These positions distinguish the hotel and set the stage for the other positions,” says Rassam.

So what hotels have the best wardrobes? “This is a very difficult question to answer, there are so many to choose from, but my personal preference are the more classic wardrobes of Four Seasons and Le Gray,” says Rassam.

TOP DESIGN TIPS

1.Keep it simple — try to work with one unique idea and then work it into all areas of the hotel; this builds the identity and most importantly puts guests at ease as they do not struggle to identify associates.

2. Try to always keep in mind the nationality of your associates — skin tone and height play a big part in the wardrobe’s success.

CONTACT

Emile Rassam — Beirut
Tel: +961 (0)5 451 732
Email: info@emilerassam.com
Web: www.emilerassam.com

Emile Rassam Trading — Dubai
Tel: +971 (0)4 432 8563
Email: Dubai@emilerassam.com
Web: www.emilerassam.com

ESN — Kuwait
Tel: +965 2471 0122
Email: info@esn-kwt.com
Web: www.emilerassam.com

DREAM UNIFORMS

One issue hotel uniform designers are very clear upon is the vital need for garments to represent the vision of the hotel they are created for.

Feizal Virani, head designer and head of Hotel Division Uniforms for Dream Uniforms, says that his approach is to give an “individual designer look and create branding for the hotel and give it its uniqueness”.

He says that uniforms are becoming more individual and less formal, so it is hard to pinpoint specific trends, but that the biggest concern is when the hotel operator has no regard for the uniforms — especially when so much has been invested in interior design.

“I feel back of the house to them is not important and a lot of times they forget the ethnicity of the staff when designing the uniforms,” something also noted by Elie Rassam.

Also like Rassam, Virani says that the major challenge for hotels is to “give the front office the wow factor”.

“The uniforms should be unique in style but practical and represent the vision of the hotel. I feel the best way [to achieve this] is to work with the designers and general manager to get a total understanding of the look, then to feel free to express imagination. Working with a ‘football team’ of staff becomes very confusing and the directions are all varied,” continues Virani.

Best sellers for Dream Uniforms are embroidered jackets with Arabic motifs “for a cultural feel” says Virani, while new products from the company comprise “fusion dressing, modern and contemporary” looks.

FAVOURITE UNIFORMS

• Grosvenor House Dubai for elegant and modern uniforms.
• Raffles Dubai for fusion with great style.
• InterContinental Dubai Festival City for new and contemporary style.

CONTACT

Dream Uniforms LLC
Tel: +971 4 334 0494
Email: feizal@dreamuniforms.ae / feizal_virani@yahoo.com

Simon Jersey has been supplying hotel uniforms for the past 39 years, with A.Ronai LLC exclusively distributing the range in the Middle East for 29 years.

A.Ronai LLC design and production manager David Sprakes says that over the past 18 months, he has seen “a move to simpler styles and more neutral colour palettes”.

“For the most part I think this will continue as the number of properties with a more minimal, contemporary interior design open in the region,” comments Sprakes.

Working alongside A.Ronai managing director Gavin Dodd, Sprakes says the company focuses on providing uniforms that are practical as well as being aesthetically pleasing.

“Every customer is different — some have a very clear image of what they would like, some have none at all. We like to give them options, which can then be distilled into the ‘final’ product,” says Sprakes.

“There are very few ‘rights’ or ‘wrongs’ in design — it’s all down to taste, so by working closely with the customer, giving them the benefit of the knowledge and expertise that we have gained over the years, taking their ideas and ours and combining all that to produce a uniform that is not only practical, but aesthetically pleasing, is our approach,” he continues.

“We also consider the practicalities of future demand and supply. The balance of available Simon Jersey catalogue stock items with bespoke pieces helps us to ensure that when a customer needs to place a small re-order after roll-out, we can supply with ease.”

A common mistake in the industry, says Sprakes, is when hotels try to “‘re-invent the wheel’ in the name of originality”.

“The reason why classic garments work is that they are tried and tested. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t fine-tune a design to suit your venue, but you should look at what works and use that as your starting point. A lot of hotels also use too many colours in their uniforms, which just results in the uniform looking disjointed and visually messy,” he says.

Sprakes adds that poor design is “a shame when so many properties here have exceptional architecture and interior design, yet the uniforms don’t embrace that cutting-edge spirit”.

“I wouldn’t like to point the finger at any one particular hotel, but there is such a homogenised look to a lot of uniforms here — too many round neck waistcoats with embroidery! It’s been done so often it no longer looks special,” says Sprakes.

The new Simon Jersey catalogue is available from this month, offering the company’s best sellers — such as the poly/wool/lycra suiting — and new styles and colourways in all of the ranges, such as suiting, bar and banqueting, kitchen, spa and accessories.

FAVOURITE UNIFORMS

“We are very proud of the hotel uniforms that we have designed and supplied, in particular Media Rotana in Dubai and Radisson Blu and Park Inn on Yas Island. All three show how classic styles can be combined with more trend-led pieces to produce good-looking yet practical uniforms,” says Sprakes.

CONTACT

A.RONAI LLC
Tel: +971 4 341 4409
Email: mesales@ronai.co.uk
Web: www.ronai.co.uk