A uniform people are glad to wear
Staff spend more time in a brand's uniform than anyone spends looking at its website. If the uniform is uncomfortable, impractical or embarrassing, it shows in how people carry themselves, and guests notice.
Chosen on a hanger, worn for twelve hours
Uniforms are often chosen from a sample on a hanger. Then they meet real work: kitchens, stairs, rain, heat, bending and carrying. Fabrics that looked elegant crease or shine. Collars itch. Pockets are in the wrong place. Before long, staff add their own cardigans and trainers, and the carefully planned look disappears.
Start with the work
- Watch a shift. Note what people carry, where they bend, how hot it gets and how often they change.
- Choose fabric for the job. Natural fibres where it is hot, washable where it gets dirty, a little stretch where people move.
- Let people try them. Wear-test with the team for a week before ordering in quantity, and listen to what they say.
- Plan for every body and every season. A full range of sizes, cuts that work for everyone, and winter layers that belong to the uniform.
- Keep the mark small. A discreet embroidered detail feels like belonging. A large logo feels like advertising.
A uniform says who belongs to the place
In a private house or a small hotel, a uniform is less about status than about belonging. Guests should be able to recognise who works there without anyone looking like a waiter in someone's home. Colour, cut and one small detail are usually enough.
The best uniform is the one staff would wear even if they did not have to.
Ask your team what they would change about what they wear today. Their answers make a better brief than any mood board.
Related project: THE HOUSE STEWARD, house books, staff uniforms and van livery for a household management company in London.
