Luxury hotels are defined by image, enhanced by teams dressed in stylistic uniforms that exude extravagance that immersed in the brand. Bespoke collections provide tailored fit, personalised by finishing touches in embroidered detail and employee identification. An insight to leading creators of uniform collections around the world.
Lafont designers immerse in the brand to create striking concepts
The Lafont brand is distinguished in its delivery of striking uniform designs for hoteliers around the world and as part of the CEPOVETT Group, the business has become a major supplier of corporatewear for high-end hotels for over 50 years.
Designing for the likes of Accor, Lafont created and manufactured the sophisticated uniforms currently worn in all Pullman, Sofitel, and Novotel Hotels across the globe. Exemplifying the elegance of Pullman’s brand image through the uniform design required a complete immersion inside the Accor business and into the Pullman identity.
Experiencing the culture to create a uniform concept
The Lafont design team conducted a series of research workshops with the owners and key stakeholders of the Pullman brand, visiting a global selection of Pullman properties to build strong relationships and begin to appreciate the values to convey. Visiting the prestigious Pullman hotels allowed the designers to experience the décor and engage with the employees to gain brand perspective from every level to create
a concept that became the basis of the uniform design.
Curating a contemporary collection drawing on the classic French style
Elevating the concept to luxury status, Lafont collaborated with the high-profile French designer, Martine Sitbon to produce a bespoke designer uniform and curate a stylistic wardrobe that brings the brand vision to life for a modern, slim fitting collection that draws on the French classics.
Embracing advanced garment technologies for the modern uniform
The contemporary aesthetic of the Pullman hotel uniform was reinforced with advanced fabric and garment technologies. The stretch fabric provides ease-of-movement and features 37.5® technology to offer temperature regulation and moisture-wicking properties, whilst the utilisation of nano technology gives the uniforms stain-resistance, in addition to the antibacterial finish providing odour-prevention. Upkeeping with values of the company, Lafont sourced recycled polyester for the sustainability factor.
A consultative uniform development process for functional performance
A uniform is more complex than fashion garments as they are worn daily for work, and thus performance, durability and functionality are equally important in the creation. The Lafont team consulted Pullman’s operational team to understand how the garments are cared for before undergoing the uniform development process to determine any fabric limitations.
For the Pullman hotels, the garments are home laundered, moving the focus onto fabrics that would deliver a high-quality look and feel, whilst being suitable for domestic washing machines. For the suiting, they selected fabrics with poly-wool-lycra blend; the shirting was made from a cotton-poly mix to deliver the three requirements of quality, durability, and domestic washability.
Lafont’s design-led team are innovators in style, performance, and functionality, creating uniform collections that surpass expectations and enhance brand image and identity.
Web: www.cepovett.com
Email: nboston@cepovett.com
LinkedIn: /company/cepovett-group
+44 (0)20-3769-3523
Fashion fit technologies sizes hotel uniforms to perfection
A hotel uniform collection, whether bespoke or off-the-shelf, can complement the brand identity that the establishment is trying to portray, however even the most luxurious of garments won’t live up to expectations if the fit isn’t perfect.
One of the most time-consuming aspects of the uniform development process is the fitting events, measuring hotel employees or managing their size selections. Inaccuracies have the potential to delay uniform rollouts and returning garments can quickly become a costly process.
AI-powered digital sizing technologies for hotel uniforms
Fashion fit technologies were catapulted into the spotlight in the pandemic when uniform suppliers looked for contactless sizing solutions to improve online ordering and reduce garment returns. Digital size and fit tools provide instant, accurate size recommendations without garment try-on.
These technologies come in all shapes and sizes, from 3D avatars on smartphone scanners to big data algorithms for wearer comparisons, or simple question widgets, like Bodi.Me’s proprietary Size-Me solution, which is powered by AI and machine learning. The award-winning company can integrate all the various technologies into any business model, thanks to established agreements with world-leading partners.
Hotel workforces get the perfect uniform fit first time
These touch-free fit technologies are hugely beneficial to the uniform industry and have the potential to transform the uniform selection process. Whilst some hotels may perceive barriers to adoption, the result is improved fit, first time.
A hotel uniform programme can require a broad size range to accommodate a varied workforce. However, even if this size range is perfectly suited to the wearer base, the problem is getting wearers into the right size, and this is where fashion fit technology can help. Rather than dedicating time and resources to fit sessions, Size-Me uses the collection’s garment data to match wearers with their ideal size, saving time and money. It also reduces waste as it minimises returns for fit.
Size-Me’s non-intrusive questions provide, quick, accurate and cost-effective results
Whilst the uniform industry has fewer returns when compared to online fashion retailers, they have smaller profit margins and so return rates can quickly hit the bottom line. Bodi.Me’s
Size-Me solution has supported clients’ uniform rollouts for years and has consistently delivered a returns rate of less than 0.5%. Wearers access Size-Me via an online portal, answer a few basic questions, and receive an instant size recommendation to ensure they order the right size, first time.
A common perceived barrier to fit technology for hotels is employee privacy. Hotels may worry that such systems will require the use of body scanners or wearer photos, which many people are uncomfortable with and can conflict with diversity and inclusion policies. Even questions about gender, age, or weight can be tricky. However, Size-Me can generate an accurate size recommendation from as few as two non-intrusive questions. It doesn’t even ask users to download an app.
When a hotel invests in a premium uniform collection to enhance brand image, digital sizing technologies can help to ensure a smooth roll out, and employees who are dressed to impress in correctly fitted garments.
+44 (0)20 7581 00 94
Email: info@bodi.me
FB: /bodidotme
Instagram: /bodidotme
LinkedIn: /company/bodi-me
Madeira embellishes uniforms with the finest embroidery threads
Found in the grandest of hotels are fine dining establishments. The bustling kitchens are filled with chefs dressed in the classic white jacket and check trousers.
The chef whites date back to the mid-19th century and signifies cleanliness and professionalism, whilst functioning for the purpose of reflecting kitchen heat.
Made from thick cotton fabric to protect the wearer from boiling liquids, hot stoves, and food stains, the whites must be durable enough to withstand the rigours of a hectic shift. The functional double-breasted design of the chef’s jacket allows the front section to be reversed to hide stains and spillages, as well as providing heat protection to the chest and stomach area.
Embroidering the brand with durable threads
In the kitchen environment, any embroidered motif, design, or logo must be equally as durable as the garment. The same applies to many other uniform garments worn in hotels and in the kitchens, from suiting, shirts, hats, all the way through to commercial linens to luxurious towels which require constant washing, bleaching, and heat-pressing.
Performance threads that deliver clear intricate detailing
Madeira’s Polyneon is a high-sheen polyester made from single long fibres and is amongst the most durable embroidery thread on the market. The embroidery thread comes with a choice of over 400 vibrant shades and three different weights so to adorn uniforms with fine embroidered lettering with intricate detailing, giving a clear and crisp appearance.
Polyneon’s unique formula makes this thread strong and robust while performing efficiently on various industrial machines without looping. The durable embroidery thread is washable up to 95°C as well as being bleach and chlorine resistant, it really is the ideal choice for items which need frequent industrial laundering.
Threading sustainability into embroidered branding
The same heavy-duty properties are true of Madeira’s new recycled polyester, Polyneon Green. Made from 100% recycled post-consumer PET plastic bottles, this new sustainable thread was developed in response to the global demand to reduce plastic waste. Polyneon Green provides a environmentally friendly option with all the same qualities of the original Polyneon thread that the professional clothing industry can come to know and respect.
Industry leading threads certified for trust
Madeira’s threads are tested and certified according to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® product class I and dyed in our Madeira factories in Germany in production facilities which are ISO 9001-2015 certified.
This thread range has the added advantage of being Pantone® matched. Pantone® is a universal colour matching system used by designers for consistency, essential for accurately converting customer branding for both print and embroidery.
Renowned for reliability in the toughest conditions, Polyneon threads will enhance uniforms and uplift the brand identity represented in the uniforms with intricately embroidered logos.
Web: www.madeira.co.uk – /polyneon – /polyneon-green
+44 (0) 1765 640 003
FB: /MadeiraUK
Twitter: /MadeiraUK
Instagram: /madeirauk
PDC’s easy, efficient and cost-saving name badge and ID accessories online ordering platform
PDC has a long-standing reputation in the name badge and people ID industry, supplying name badges, lanyards, and ID accessories to big brand hotels.
The hotel uniform gives prominence to employees, and the PDC’s identity accessories provides the finishing, personalised touch to the garments.
Customer-focused personalisation of hotel uniforms
The ID accessories company offers a diverse range of high-quality products for hotel clients, from reusable to permanent for seasonal or fulltime team members, to eco-friendly options made from sustainable and recyclable materials, for the environmentally conscious hotel brand.
PDC’s products are innovative and easy to use, helping the wearers achieve a professional and personalised look. The market leaders in identification have succeeded due to customer-driven product development that is recognised through prestigious industry awards. PDC delivers more than name badge products, the service levels ensure smooth hotel operations for employees with its corporate e-procurement ordering system called Click2Order. From the beginning, PDC understood the challenges concerning the ordering and management of name badges for the hotel sector.
Established functionality in efficient ordering platform
As early developers of an online platform, PDC has evolved its functionality to handle multiple, localised, and detailed orders of name badges, plus photo ID cards and accessories, whilst providing full centralised control.
The system incorporates efficient and cost-saving features such as digital printing, RFID, QR codes, social media interactivity, tracking of user activity, reporting, multiple languages, images,
seasonality, personalisation, and central management.
Click2Order is a fast, efficient, and effortless way to
order name badges for hotels to use and rollout to teams in multiple locations.
Direct access eliminates paperwork and reduces the number of processes and errors. Benefits can be seen across all user-levels, while management has full transparency of activity, spend, information and control.
Customisable content offers international inclusivity
Templates can be customised with variable data such as employee name and job title, which can be previewed before ordering. Country flags of languages spoken by staff can be added, which is ideal feature for hotel staff welcoming guests from all over the world.
With all this information available within bespoke Click2Order websites customised to specific users, locations, it means that Click2Order saves time, especially in cases where there would otherwise be continuous inputting of the same data. PDC use their expertise to keep things simple by offering designated ordering sites per customer, which makes the administration easy and efficient.
Click2Order is more than a badge ordering system. Designed to fit seamlessly into trade and corporate structures, it guarantees overall control, cost-savings, and efficiencies, while still supplying a high-quality name badge.
From perfectly fitting, high-end uniforms adorned with intricate embroidery and sustainable name identification, the hotel uniform sector is serviced by design and functionality-led businesses that create an iconic brand image.
Please contact us if you’d like more information.
Web: www.pdc-big.co.uk
+44 (0)20 8614 8880
Email: info@pdc-big.co.uk
FB: /PDCsolutionsEU
LinkedIn: /pdcsolutionseu
Instagram: /pdcsolutionseu
