In Fashion and Comfy

For designers creating the latest workwear for restaurant, hotel and pub operators, the gap between fashion in the high street and that in the workplace continues to close, especially for front of house staff.

Today’s discerning members of staff want to be seen in uniforms that are comfortable to wear and often this means providing a tailored garment that suits the wearer.

According to Tibard commercial director Rick Shonfeld: “Employers should take note of this as staff who feel comfortable in their uniform and look the part will project a much more welcoming image to customers, something that has never been more important in the current economic climate.

“To that end we would always recommend that an employer carries out trials of garments with their staff rather than just leaving the decision up to the purchasing manager.

“By involving them in the decision-making process you add worth to the chosen garment because staff feel as though they have had a direct involvement, and have hopefully ended up with a uniform that they are happy with rather than something that has been forced upon them.

“In terms of trends there are a couple of noticeable ones. Firstly, we are noticing more and more the introduction of materials and finishes that you would not normally associate with the industry, such as faux suede and faux leather.

“Secondly, we are seeing more customers moving away from traditional black colours and opting instead for colours seen in high end fashion house collections. Although these are still reasonably dark colours that are able to cover stains and spills, they make a welcome change from black and create a point of difference.

“This is a great alternative for venues that do not want to buy standard ‘off the peg’ items, but don’t want to go to the added expense of creating bespoke garments, although of course as a UK manufacturer we are able to offer them that option too, if they want it.

“Lastly there is also increasing demand for smart casual attire rather than the more formal, traditional options in pub and smaller restaurant groups.

“As far as back of house is concerned the ongoing fashion for chefs to be highly visible continues to place considerable emphasis on them looking the part at all times.

“A chef in clean, pressed clothing suggests an air of cleanliness and pride, and this reassures customers as the assumption is made that this reflects a high standard in all other areas of the kitchen. It’s also important to make sure that the look is consistent, so make sure that all chefs are similarly attired.

“Many of our clients order a small buffer stock for their chefs to be held on site so that if necessary there is always a clean, smart replacement garment available.

“With regard to hiring or buying, the advantages of hiring are huge, as there is no capital outlay, and you remove the headache and responsibility of cleaning for the duration of the contract, normally between 12 and 24 months. Chefs will have a ready availability of clean, pressed workwear.”

Denny's Uniforms managing director Nick Jubert says: “Some pubs, restaurants and hotels have saved on laundry contracts for clothing and can now buy a wider range of easy-care uniform that can be washed by the staff.

“Aprons, for example, can provide an economical, yet stylish solution. Ensure that your staff are visable by dressing them in an eye-catching, colour apron.

“Because we run the UK’s largest stock range of aprons and carry many alternatives in the same colour but slightly different size, we have seen a dramatic increase in our low cost ranges offering really good value, while still providing a good quality product. This is usually achieved by a smaller size specification in the same quality cloth.

“There's a fashion element to workwear that obviously changes. As regards trends, styles and fabrics, in the past pubs and bars were flooded with logo’ed workwear from the drink brands for free but this avenue for a cheap uniform is not so prevalent and therefore customers are looking for their own supply of cheap, good quality uniform.”

Fashion At Work (UK) has more than 26 years’ experience in designing, manufacturing and supplying uniforms to café, bar and catering companies and therefore has a deep understanding of the clothing requirements for the hospitality and leisure industry.

The company says that during this time they have seen trends change, particularly in bars, from fun daring uniforms to T-shirts provided by drinks suppliers to plain black shirts and now stylish clothing that mirrors today’s trends.

“We are firm believers that dressing staff accordingly for their environment is an important corporate decision as staff are ‘bonded’ into the corporate identity and a team spirit is created.

“When staff arrive on their ‘stage’ whether it be in the kitchen, behind the bar, or glass collecting, their appearance should exude team pride and a ‘feel good’ factor and their uniforms are a crucial part of this. It is also important that there is clear distinction for the uniform so that staff are not mistaken for customers.

“Garment design with strong attention to detail in easy to care for and durable fabrics are critical to ensure the long life and continued success of the uniform.

“Staff rarely pay for the uniform themselves, it is therefore essential to choose the right fabrics to ensure the uniform can still retain its looks even though at the end of a shift it may have been discarded in a heap on the floor and then worn again the next day.

“Fabrics requiring little or no ironing and are simple to wash are critical to a garments survival. We would recommend also that full time staff have three sets of uniform enabling one to be in the wash, one ironed and one worn.

“Teflon coating provides maximum water and stain repellency without affecting the breathability of the fabrics. The introduction of Lycra content to fabric gives more elasticity to the garment, allowing for better fit and movement but still retaining a smart comfortable appearance. A cotton/lycra mix is excellent for use in both warm and cool environments.

“When a venue is built or refurbished, generally staff uniform has been left until last. However continuity of design throughout the various departments ensures reinforcement of the brand through colour, fabric, pattern and styling.

“Our Fashion at Work designers therefore like to be involved with the interior designers as close to the conception as possible thereby producing a strong design that compliments the interior design and overall theme/concept.

“A preference for contemporary looks, stripped wooden floors, the use of neutral/earthy colours in the entertainment industry has had a direct influence on the fabric colour ranges now being offered for that corporate image.

“Corporate logos are an excellent mode of promoting/reinforcing a company brand. They are a highly visible focal point/advertising medium, and are useful for easy identification of members of staff for the general public.

“At Fashion At Work we have the capability of reproducing an individual company design on any of our wide selection of clothing ranges.”

Hotelympia 2010 will see the launch of an exclusive new range of British designed, British manufactured chefswear under the brand name Oliver Harvey (stand S2039).

Described by its creators as “quintessentially British”, the Oliver Harvey collection has been developed to appeal to young, aspiring chefs, who want the very best in style, comfort and durability.

The company says: “Our chefswear garment is quite simply everything that the hospitality industry operator would expect from a British designer. It is meticulously designed to cope with the rigours of a hectic kitchen; carefully crafted from the latest textiles and fabrics; and finished to the highest standards to ensure both longevity and value.

“Combine this with contemporary styling normally seen on the catwalk and buyers will understand why ‘quintessentially British’ is positively right.

“Using only the finest materials and initially comprising four jackets – from entry level to executive, two trousers, and both waist and bib aprons, we feel that the Oliver Harvey range is one of the most exciting launches in the chefswear market for many a long year.

Johnsons Stalbridge Linen Services, specialist provider of linen and workwear hire and laundry services, says that every chef and manager in the catering and hospitality industry recognises the overwhelming importance of kitchen hygiene, so it’s vital that workwear is always scrupulously clean and properly laundered.

Sales and marketing director David Hill says: “Looking smart in front of customers is also a key factor in the public’s perception of your establishment.

“Choosing the right uniform for kitchen staff means taking many factors into consideration. Chefs want to look good but their workwear has to be practical, in terms of comfort and stain resistance, and it has to be of a good and lasting quality. However, it is also of fundamental importance that kitchen hygiene is never compromised by dirty uniforms.”

“Increasingly, hotel and restaurant operators are choosing to outsource their workwear and laundry suppliers. At Stalbridge we pride ourselves on providing a superior quality, contract-free complete linen hire and laundry service, on a permanent or temporary hire basis.

“In the kitchen, we offer chef jackets in a range of designs and sizes in white polycotton with long or short sleeves, and button or stud fastenings, while a choice of chef trousers, in blue/white or blue/black small check, or plain black, helps to tailor the look and encourage individuality.

“In addition, a range of waist, bib or butchers aprons, plus skull caps, neck ties and kitchen cloths ensure that virtually every requirement is catered for. All chefs wear is made exclusively to Stalbridge’s own specification, and all garments are supplied without a contract for complete ease of operation and flexibility, with a free exchange of garment sizes as required.

This article originally appeared in Eat Out magazine www.eatoutmagazine.co.uk

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