Lisa Stewart: Superior Design & Merchandising: UniformMarketNews.Com

Lisa Stewart is the kind of woman they make movies about:  Single, a veteran career executive, born in Atlanta, moved to New York at 23, and now the Vice President of Design and Merchandising with Superior Uniform Group in Florida.  Interested in the apparel business since childhood, Lisa worked 18 years for Hart-Marx before switching to Superior.  A marathon runner, golfer, skier, Lisa has always been a type A+ personality; on the go, yet sensible and measured every step of the way.  "One of the things I've learned about when participating in sports, is the incredible fabric variances and all that they can withstand," says the excited and highly motivated young woman.

"I'm always thinking of the big picture," Lisa emphasizes.  She is at once working on both internal and external design projects;  what's new and best for Superior's offerings to its customers, as well as designing directly for Superior accounts.  Not only is she dedicated to customer support, but she focuses a savvy eye toward growing the business aspect of her company.   While she was with retail-based Hart-Marx, she was head of design in the women's division of the primarily men's tailored clothing corporation.  Working with Superior on several projects, she gradually moved over from one company to the other. 

Now,  Lisa brings a new perspective to Superior Uniform Group--the wholesale/retail apparel trade.  "I've worked with designers for Ever," Lisa remarks in her Southern drawl.  "I see things from a business point of view, and I'm very fussy about fabrics, fittings, and style.  I know what's right.  Uniforms can be attractive for street wear, as well as for identity."

Superior had had several exciting projects in place before Lisa came on board:  Tailored products, eco-friendly recycled fabrics, and 100% polyesters  that are machine washable and dryable.   "There are great merits in these new fabrics for the consumers and the economy--and the technology is out there!" 

Lisa insists, "It's all about marketing-generated awareness.   We've got tailored apparel that is good for 30 washings.  You don't wash suiting every time you wear it, or it would destroy the tailored product.  If you clean it once for each of the four seasons, it is good for seven years!  We are tailoring in recycled polyester, poly and Lycra, and poly wool.  It's unbeatable."

In all categories, Lisa Stewart is infusing her own background, as she combines with the Superior focus: Eco-friendly fabrics are emerging in polos, wovens, trousers, and more.  "People are committed to doing something about the environment at our corporate level.  Knowing that Superior will lose customers if it doesn't,  has made a huge difference," Lisa smiles.  "Caps, aprons, cotton garments--we're doing so many things for both the retail trade, and for branded companies."

The general trend is for tailored garments to make a re-emergence, but in reality, it may not happen.  As it is now, Superior is very big on sportswear.  What's fabulous is that so many other companies, such as Under Armour, Nike, etc., are presenting with whole new fabric technologies.  Superior is taking advantage of that technology in a big way.   "Things like wicking, stain release, Teflon coating-- these are all processes that used to be new; now, they're just taken for granted.  People who are active expect SPF protection, anti-bacterial coverage and more, as part of the garment," Lisa reveals.

Aesthetics?  Lisa focuses the tailored garments in charcoal, black, navy, and brown's.   The accessories may vary with the customer.  Superior is very careful not to date itself.   "It's a challenge," Lisa reminds, "to be fresh and maintain longevity at the same time.  We're doing color-blocking with two and three different areas of bold different hues, contrast stitching, brighter colors--more creativity with fewer price points.  We're doing branding with logos at every level of the customer's needs: The front and back of the house.  We do stores and private customer accounts; small independent boutique hotels to huge corporations."  Superior's catalogues are being completely re-designed to focus on these changing times.

"Superior has often been portrayed as being very plain--a brass tacks organization.  I wouldn't have joined if that were so.  Marketing has everything to do with reality and how we're portrayed," Lisa comments.  "We have a great marketing team, a tremendous design team, and we're all moving forward together!"