North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers
and Distributors Awards 2010
Las Vegas, venue for this
year's Convention where awards were presented for the most outstanding uniform
programs. The two primary categories: Safety, and Images of the Year (IOY). The first--uniforms for those who serve to
protect our population; the second--best designs in uniforms that enhanced a
product, place, and concept.
Within these two areas, there
were a total of 22 awards. Each award
represented a winning category as well as its own unique presentation. Several awards were given to the same
manufacturers, whose talents and creativity spanned multiple ideas and designs.
For over 30 years, NAUMD has
been recognizing efforts to create styles that enhance the presentation of
these groups. Each primary category had multiple
criteria, many of which were similar in terms of durability, wearability during
the tasks performed on the job, fabrics and designs utilized for image enhancement
as well as practicality and comfort.
Other characteristics were unique unto themselves: Projection of confidence, reassurance, and organization
were key for the Safety programs; IOY programs effused end-product quality,
keen marketing dynamics that projected a unified and focused brand & theme, and identity that customers could grab on to
and remember. Competition was tough.
No matter the area of
expertise, the concept of the whole presentation was paramount; recognition and
identification with intent and purpose of the program, was the final nod for an
outstanding uniform apparel award.
"New technologies, fabric enhancements and innovation in design and
composition are key to being named the best of the best!" exuded Richard
Lehrman, President and CEO of NAUMD.
*
Red the Uniform Tailor
scooped up two awards in the Safety category.
Michael Buck worked with the University of Delaware Police, garnering
the "University Police Department Award," and Bruce Klein headed up
the Old Saybrook (Connecticut) Police Department , winning kudos for the
outstanding "Police Department Under 50 Officers."
While both men sponsored
entirely different departments, the representation from Red's was of equal
excellence in both areas. The U. of
Delaware Police was a force of 60 officers, all dressed the same, with
incredible attention to detail. If you
can believe it, the gold thread color from the shoulder emblems, hash marks,
and chevrons--used to denote rank--was the exact same shade of gold as the
inlaid gold cloth striping on the pants.
The uniform pants were a poly wool serge with a terrific matching Class
"A" military dress blouse,
sporting wide shoulders and a narrow waist with room for a Sam Brown styled gun
belt to be worn over the top. The General
Pershing styled hat complemented the ensemble.
The shirts (long and short sleeved) were a lighter weight than the coat
and pants--11 oz. or 8 oz, whereas the outer garments were a 14 oz weight. The shirts had sewn-in creases, double
elbows, reinforced pockets, a hidden
zipper front; everything was attended to meticulously.
The reason for this year's
win with the University is that the group, itself, decided to stop using
off-the-rack items, and decided to customize the exact same design it had used for
years, but with better fit, fabric, quality, and attention to the people's
figures who were wearing the uniforms.
*
Old Saybrook, on the other
hand, was sporting a brand new design, purchased with money that the 20 person
department had raised itself, spearheaded by its new Chief of Police, Michael
Sperta. There's a story regarding the
history of the force, but essentially, when the old chief retired, the old
uniforms went with him. Red the Uniform
Tailor, under the design and direction of Bruce Klein, came up with P&F blue and lighter blue garments that not only
had an official image, but some razzle dazzle as well. The fairly standard styled garments had squared
off knit ties, and "trooper" cowboy hats.
Sperta is quite a showman, and
he introduced the new uniforms on stage--the old uniforms and retiring Chief
vanishing behind a closing curtain; at once opening again, with the new Chief
and new uniforms. "Image is
everything in this business," said Bruce.
"How a department looks and presents itself is what makes the
difference between an agency that can solve a situation with speech, vs. the
agency that gets into the brawl. If the
uniform is so classy that no one wants to mess it up, then the officers will be
less willing to fight, and the instigators will be less willing to
engage."
Klein and his brothers, Barry
and Harvey, own Red's. Begun in 1977 as
a security guard manufacturer, the corporation now offers several different
brochures with multiple thematic concepts:
Everything from police to cocktail waitresses. No matter what the company does, however, the
same intensely personal focus is attached to each order--thread, fabric,
buttons, design, quality fabric, appropriateness for the weather, practicality,
economy, and use. A very fine group,
supported with superb sales people such as Michael Buck, Red the Uniform Tailor
was easily deserving of its two awards.
*
Perfection Uniforms,
manufacturer, was presented to the West Virginia Sheriffs' Association by loyal dealer, Ronk's Uniform Center. Winner of the NAUMD award for "Special
Organization," Miranda Brock told about
a people invested in its state, and in its uniforms. With a designer who hummed, "Take me
home, West Virginia," as he created the concept for the 65 counties whose
members all decided to wear the same uniform, including patrol cars with paint
that was matched to the fabric of the garments in order to blend everything
into the rugged backwoods terrain of the state, the story of the West Virginia
Sheriffs is a unique one. "We
appreciate customers who inspire what we do; it's because of them that we're
growing," said Miranda. "The
recession has allowed so many people to have so many choices. They could go anywhere, but they chose
us."
800 members of every single
department in the state chose Perfection, a new and small-based company that was
affiliated with such a large order for the first time, and it literally took
years to complete, in part due to funding.
It was a genuine grass roots project to get these folks in proper
attire. Functionality and comfort,
including water repellency, were primary.
The colors were black for the shirts, as well as the trouser stripe, and
grey for the pants, themselves.
Perfection provided the garments, alone.
All accessories were provided by others, and the groups worked in
combination with one another to create a winning team.
The sentimentality for the
project was focused on boosting officer morale, being non-invasive or
frightening to the public, and reminding the public of who was in charge. Originally, another company had the account,
but Perfection added such perks as better technology, stain resistant fabrics,
a gusset in the crotch, and an expandable waistband. The sheriffs in West Virginia won this
award, and it was just that--perfection.
*
A tie. Yep.
For the "County Sheriffs' Departments" award, it was a tie
between Guidry's Uniforms for the Vermillion Parish Sheriffs' Department, and
Nye Uniforms for Roscommon County Sheriffs' Department.
Tom Meagher purchased 62-year
old Guidry's, in 1980. A safety apparel
family-owned retailer, this 12,000 sq.
foot establishment prides itself on ready-to-wear garments that are then
completely customized to fit the customers' sizes and need for unique
styling. The Vermillion Parish had its
share of tragedy with the Louisiana storms of Katrina and Rita. Many of the deputies' lives were washed out
or partially ruined. Thus, when the new
Sheriff wanted something new for his Departments, he came to Tom, not only with
unique ideas in mind, but with a need for budget, a moral boost, and
practicality as well.
Ordering from only the
best--Blauer, Fechheimer, Southeastern, and Smith & Warren, Guidry's
customized the basic garments, identifying rank, too. The royal pants with a piggyback stripe in
yellow-gold and silver, a tan shirt with royal and the yellow-gold, the
waterproof LAPD navy jacket had a removable lining, and was a Smokey Bear hat
with royal: A totally new look in Louisiana.
Approximately 450 sets of
uniforms were made of polyester-gabardine garments are American-made, don't
fade, easy-care, less expensive, washable, and water resistant. "Service, trust, long-term relationships,
and quality are the secret to customer relationships," said Tom. "Our focus is on staying positive."
Nye's Uniforms in Grand
Rapids, Michigan, is a distributor, rather than a manufacturer. His uniforms are often made by Red the
Uniform Tailor, whom Bill Nye feels is the best, anywhere. But Nye, himself, is a fine salesman, and put
together an excellent program for the 30 dress blouses in tan and brown that distinguished the
multiple departments of officers who
heretofore had nothing but a basic off-the-shelf shirt and pants. For 75 years, Nye has been providing superb
garments for public safety apparel. By
reversing the colors of the garments, these blouses varied for each department:
Correctional, Road Patrol, S.W.A.T. members.
Some wore hats, some didn't. The
fellows picked the best 16.5 oz. elastique poly wool available. Top drawer.
Originally, Nye's handled the
Roscommon Department, lost it to a cheaper bid, then got it back a year or so
ago: Quality and good service overrode fewer dollars. The Sheriff wanted everyone to have a good
looking dress uniform; hence, he collected the money, and over time, department
by department, the town has paid for these garments. Each member is "taped," or custom
measured rather than fitted with try-on's.
Every detail is paid attention to.
All accessories that go with the department and the task are
provided. Is it any wonder that Nye's
Uniforms have been NAUMD winners for the last four years?
*
"Best State Agency"
winner was the California Highway Patrol--a Fechheimer customer for
decades. 6,800 officers are outfitted in
the tightly specked uniform code of standards.
According to Fred Heldman, "While multiple companies are authorized
to service these officers, there's no question that Fechheimer won the award
due to experience and expertise in uniform manufacturing, and particularly
high-end tailored garments."
The uniform consists of wool
and wool blends--best for appearance, comfort and durability. High-profile representation in California
through well-established retail companies, provides in-stock services and
expert tailoring facilities.
The uniform projects
authority, in part as a result of constant inspections to check for uniform
maintenance and fit. The uniforms are
traditionally khaki colored with a campaign hat and blue & gold trouser
braid. The dress uniform includes a
green jacket and a royal blue tie. Cold
weather and utility uniforms are dark blue.
*
Outstanding "Special
Agency" award goes to Galls-Aramark for the U.S. Mint Police. Nine years ago, Galls took over the Mint
contract under the supervision of Molly Roberts. The Mints include the six American facilities
that produce coin and store gold at Fort Knox.
Aramark purchased Galls in 1995; the latter is a distributor of safety
apparel and accouterments. For the Mint,
alone, the contract called for over 200 separate worn items to be provided in
mass quantities.
The appearance of the
officers, honor guards, and operations teams--used for transportation of the
coinage, and protection in the Mints, themselves--was key to the award. "The Mint prides itself on classy, traditional
look with new innovations as they are developed," reflects Molly. Different garments for different locations,
the use of Cool Max and Under Armor for comfort, a classy clean look that is
very professional, all go into the makeup of a top-notch set of garments.
They are navy blue, no
striping. Hats very with division and
function. The outerwear depends on
climate. All badge and patch
applications were made and/or applied in-house at Galls. The goods is poly wool, everything the same
weight. The more specialized the
particular uniform, the more varied the fabric--durable, colorfast, everyone
wearing the exact same color. There are
no counterfeits in the quality of the uniforms, nor in the manufacture of the
money: Galls is professionalism at its best with its second win for the
Mints.
*
Newfoundland, originally a
British Canadian province, still has constabularies for its constables, rather
than police departments; hence, R.
Nicholls' Distributing, Inc. won the award for the best "Canadian Safety
Department--" the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Brian O'Connor represented his account, which
had its uniforms made by Perfection Uniforms.
Nicholls's is a uniform distributor, also with its own private label
brand, that sells to law enforcement groups.
The fabric for these uniforms
is polyester and recycled pop-bottles with polyester. They are navy with royal braid. The pants are a cargo style, a standard
police-styled cap, and outer body armor.
There is tremendous attention to detail and comfort, with the crotch
gusset, expandable waist, wicking inside the garments, and repellency outside
of them. The shirts have a stretch in
the underarm. 280 members wear the exact
same 1,120 uniforms, other than ranking on the sleeves and collars.
The entry design is basically
the same as it was in the past, but Perfection's new attention to detail is
what convinced the Constabulary. Brian
states that Nicholl's solicited the Department.
"We were big enough to handle the order, we were new, they liked
our product, and they liked Nicholls's."
*
The biggest winner in either the
Safety Apparel category or the IOY, was Cintas Corporation--four awards, each
for a different uniform program in the Image of the Year division. Cintas Corporation, based in Cincinnati,
Ohio, provides highly specialized services to business of all types around the
world. It designs, manufactures, and implements corporate
identity uniform programs, providing apparel and supplementary items. For the 11th straight year, Cintas swept with: "Healthcare--" Florida Hospital
Cardiovascular Institute; "Hotel
Single Unit (United States)--" The Pierre Hotel; "Restaurants Fast
Food--" The Panda Express; "Cruise Lines--" Royal Caribbean of
the Seas. Andi Vance provided
information that covered all four separate and unique venues.
In the healthcare category,
Cintas developed an apparel program for five different departments within the
Florida Hospital Cardiovascular Institute.
To complement the corporate color palette, the scrubs incorporate a
complete custom color program centered around the color cinnamon. In addition, Cintas designed a patterned trim
with a custom heart-shaped design along with the Florida Hospital logo to honor
the focus of the renowned organization.
"This prestigious award
truly reflects the integrity of our apparel program," said Danielle
Johnson, Assistant Vice President of the Hospital. "This facility is committed to quality
care, so we wanted a uniform program that reflected our brand, while enhancing
the job functions of each employee. By
working with key personnel throughout the process, Cintas helped us to develop
a program that met everyone's needs."
*
The Pierre Hotel in New York
is a luxury apparel program balancing the high-class nature of the age-old
establishment with the durability and comfort necessary for work. The Cintas winning designs combine
traditional European styling with form and function to enhance the guest
experience and celebrate the hotel's $100 million renovation.
"Cintas developed a
luxury collection that echoes our brand and the environment in which our
employees serve," said Hekio Kuenstle, General Manager of The Pierre
Hotel. "We wanted to set the
standard for outstanding hospitality, and an award-winning uniform program further
sets us apart from the competition."
*
For the Panda Express, it's
important to showcase a top-of-the-line apparel program for the back of the
house staff, because the fast food restaurant operates with an exposed
kitchen. The Asian-inspired uniforms
include black complementary chef and cook tunics, each with red accents and the
iconic Panda Express logo on the right arm and back. The chef version is differentiated by a
Chinese character trim. A traditional
skull cap has been updated and re-thought to include mesh panels and adjustable
straps. Both uniforms are paired with
four-way reversible aprons.
"Panda's mission is to
deliver exceptional Asian dining experiences to our guests during every
visit. When guests enter a Panda
Express, we want to 'wow' them in all five senses and showcase the culinary
skills of our chefs preparing delicious Asian cuisine with fresh
ingredients," said Nader Garschi, Executive Director of Concept Innovation
at Panda Express. "Cintas was a
great partner in executing that goal by creating a cultural connector uniform
that properly reflected the higher quality of the Panda Express brand."
*
For the cruise line award,
Cintas created day, evening, and formal wear garments to enhance the new Royal
Caribbean Oasis of the Seas' "Neighborhoods" concept. This concept provided vacationers with the
opportunity to seek out relevant experiences, based on their personal styles,
preferences, or moods. The garments
feature a blue theme for day, and black charcoal for night. Formal wear can be difficult to maintain when
dry-cleaning services are not available, but the custom poly-wool blend is both
easy to care for and durable.
"We are honored to have
four programs selected for these prestigious awards," said Bill Goetz,
Cintas' President and Chief Operating Officer of Global Accounts and Strategic
Markets. "These awards are a
testament to the way our designers and merchandising team are able to work with
our customers and create functional fashions that match any aesthetic."
*
Moving into
"Transportation" and the Image of the Year awards, Hawaiian Airlines was captured by four-and
one-half year old company, Apparel Solutions.
Two fun, hardworking, entrepreneurial fellows--Ron Steel, who has years
of uniform experience, and his partner who is an IT genius, have combined to
create this fabulous company.
Hawaiian, in honor of its
80th anniversary, decided to celebrate by getting all new uniforms, and giving
the airline a completely revamped look.
They remodeled and re-decorated. More muted tones permeated the planes, the
ticket counters, and baggage. Apparel
Solutions was responsible for the attendants, the ticket counter folks, and the
baggage men: "Above the wings and below the wings," as Ron referred
to the various employees.
Hawaiian has been the
top-ranked on-time airline for years, and just as it has paid keen attention to
detail, so Apparel Solutions paid attention to every tiny detail to the 2,300
uniforms in multiple styles of teals & azure prints with solid greys. Everything from day-glo orange T-shirts to
elegant blazers and skirts were collected and presented to the airline.
One of the best aspects of
the program is that every employee was given his own access to the website,
with a special catalogue for the Hawaiian Airline products, each customized for
that employee's particular job, having points available for dollars to spend,
and availability to order in the necessary size! With the time-zone changes, it
was a uniform salesman's dream.
The styles were very very
much a part of the brand--the Asian look.
The buttonless blazers have mandarin collars; neither the shirts,
blouses, or blazers are allowed to have pockets, all buttons are monochromatic
and match the color of the garments, and wherever possible, there are no
buttons at all. Minimalist. Simple.
An HMS fabric, 8.5 oz, a beautiful, soft hand. Sophisticated, elegant,
and easy to wear.
**
Lion Uniform Group, a G&K
Services Company, is the manufacturing and direct purchase division of the
corporation. Jeanna Peifer, Vice
President & General Manager was proud of the talented and diversified
company that won two NAUMD awards: for best "Retail Establishment," ampm, and for "Special
Recognition" award for Class V.
Lion has had over 10 years of
marketing experience with the petroleum industry, and in that time gasoline
sales has morphed from the gasoline pump to the convenience store. ampm , in ten states across America, is
allied with over 1,100 Arco and BP stations.
When the brand team changed the image of its stores, some 10,000
uniforms were re-vamped and transposed into workable uniforms that were
comfortable, functional, easy to launder, reasonably priced, and provided an
eye-catching memory for the customer.
The basic uniforms were long
and short-sleeved shirts, male and female stylings, outerwear, and an
apron. Pants were up to the
employees. A very astute design team
created the garments as well as the terrific coordinating pattern done with
sublimation color printing that advertised all the goodies that ampm sells. Their slogan is "Too much good
stuff."
*
Lion Uniform Group, with its
umbrella corporation G&K Services Company, is a Fortune 500 offering. Its employees are hardworking, creative, and
dedicated to producing a product that is not soon forgotten. Proof of that is its diversification with the
"Special Recognition" award for Class V, a completely different
concept than that of ampm.
L.A. coterie designer,
Richard Tyler, who works with Lion on many projects, produced a high-end, tailored
group of garments in black: Blazers, skirts or slacks, and outerwear. The shirts and blouses are white. For the 14 color accents that contrast with
the basic design of the very basic garments, the coat lining, collars, scarves,
accessories, are all eye-catchers that sparkle throughout the locations in 138
countries, with 25-50 employees each.
Each style is friendly, employee approachable, and comfortable. The customer is at once, engaged by the
striking colors, the elegant styling, and the subtle but definite weave and
presence of religious crosses into the high-styled, fabulous apparel.
*
Superior Uniform Group is
another big NAUMD winner. Ruby's Diner
won for the "Restaurants, Multi-Unit" category; the Hilton Corporate
won for "Hotels, Multi-Unit."
Speaking with Janice Henry, Vice President of Marketing; Viv Smith,
Marketing, and Sandy Pegler, Merchandising Manager, it's clear why this group
captured multiple awards: They're excited about what they do, they work hard,
they're a team.
Ruby's is a diner concept
from the 1940's, steel and chrome outside, with red and white everything
inside. The waitresses have the white
half aprons, red and white striped outfits, and even little headbands for their
hair. The fellows wear black pants,
black slim-Jim ties, and white broadcloth shirts. Everything matches. Theme is paramount, the visual rules.
Superior has been doing
Ruby's for a long time--seven-eight years.
The reason why it won this year?
It was submitted. This is a
perfect example of the manufacturer giving the customer exactly what he
wants. It's about customer attention,
and having a wonderful time. "What
a great company we are to have an in-house design department!" said
Janice.
As Ruby's was a totally
visual experience, the Hilton Corporate Hotels was a cerebral one--a mood, a
vision, a deliberately coordinated experience.
Hilton, too, has been with Superior for seven years. The entire focus is around global involvement
with environment, ecosystems, and going "green." Fabrics are eco-friendly, with recycled
polyester, Lycra, or regular polyester.
Washable, fashionable to the point of being worn outside of work, based
on retail looks, both Housekeeping and
the Front Desk garments were entered in the NAUMD award experience, albeit Superior does the hotels from front to back
of the house.
The color palette was
chocolate, bark, and charcoal with black.
Neutrals and earth tones, only.
Two-three years in advance, in color-forecasting and design--pants,
skirts, blazers, and stunning blues, silver & bronze--solids and a
stripe--in blouses and shirts. The
details? Stretch elbows in the fabrics,
moisture wicking in the backs, a soft hand and a luxurious feel.
Today's world is full of
younger employees who want a contemporary look, with "green" being a
big factor in the Hospitality quadrant.
With their two collections, Select, and Signature, Superior Uniform
Group feels very pleased with what it has done.
"We worked darn hard on this," emphasized Janice.
*
Another hotel took the best
"Hotel--Single Unit (Canadian)," and that was the Pan Pacific Hotel
Vancouver, designed and manufactured by Omega Uniform Systems (formerly Omega
Frontline). Margaret Ramsdale is the
owner and president of this 10-year-old company, her first account being this
particular hotel. One of the outstanding features of the program
is that the employees each have their own web-accounts, tailored to their job
descriptions, uniforms for the purpose, and amount of money to spend. Thus, ordering online from measurements to
delivery at the employee's front door, is computerized, and a snap.
Omega, originally having
begun in hotels and the hospitality industry, now focuses on
transportation--everything from bus lines to cruise ships. It is a manufacturer and direct seller of
uniform programs, as well as doing its own designs.
The doormen coats were
Omega's entry for the NAUMD awards, and the exterior of the hotel in glass and
steel, as well as the surrounding mountains, the lake, the misty climate, all
inspired a monochromatic look of blacks, charcoals, and greys. The garments are clean in terms of design,
and match the simplicity of the structure.
Winter uniforms are charcoal with light grey accents; summer is a
lighter weight in lighter grey with charcoal accents. There are pewter buttons, with silver
striping in a matte finish.
The reason they won this year
for the two-year old program is that Margaret decided to enter into the contest
this year as opposed to last. Living in
Canada, the NAUMD awards are newer, and
just beginning to catch on. However,
catch on, she did, as her first award came for the Holland America Cruise Lines
in 2009.
"The Pan Pacific
uniforms are the result of taking traditional styling and interpreting it in a
traditional way," smiled Margaret.
"Everything is neutral, and nothing is shiny. It is low contrast, minimalist, low key. The customer is thrilled with the aesthetics,
and the doormen loved the functionality as well as the style." There were four-six doormen, and a total of
24 uniforms, overall.
*
Brookhurst, Inc. is a
manufacturer of garments coming out of California. It won the best design for the "Service
Apparel" winner with client, Mary Kay, Inc. Brookhurst has had the account for the last
six-seven years; however, it has decided
to close its doors, and The Lion Uniform Group, a G&K Services Company,
will take over in the future. Over the
years, Mary Kay has won again and again through Brookhurst, as the fashion
collection reinvents itself each year, keeping pace with the retail fashion
industry.
Elena Morgan knows the program inside and
out. In the U.S., there are 13,000
wearers of the Red Jacket Directors' Program for Mary Kay Independent Sales
Directors who coach the over 650,000 Independent Beauty Consultants. Mary Kay is one of the world's largest direct
sellers of skin care and cosmetics.
Globally, there are approximately
two million Independent Beauty Consultants.
The current program consisted
of three uniquely different jackets, tailored in an exclusive sapphire blue and
black mélange worsted wool fabric, developed especially for Mary Kay. The three
choices were a long jacket with a funnel neck, curved border accent with black
silk piping, in a 25" length; a short modern peaked lapel jacket with banded
border and shaped waist illusion in a 22" length; a young, trendy swing
jacket with inverted back pleats and 3/4 lantern sleeves in a new 21"
length.
Skirts are available in five
lengths, insuring that every Sales Director has an option that meets her style
and figure. There are two different
styles of skirts: Pencil with double
back pleat; and ankle length with elegant peplum back detail. Levels of accomplishment are recognized by
distinctive camisole sweaters, bejeweled above the Director level. Seniors
shimmer in iridescent blue sequins and beads; Futures shine in navy sequins and
beads; Executive Seniors and Elites sparkle in embellished pewter/silver
sequins and beads with rhinestone accents.
Elites are recognized by an exquisite National Sales Director-inspired
button.
An alternate scoop neck
sleeveless sheath dress may be worn with the jackets. There are also accessories and complementary
prints.
The uniforms are durable and
comfortable, able to be worn year-round throughout the U.S. and abroad. They are appropriate for women ranging in
sizes from 00 to 40, plus an equally fashionable outfit for expectant
mothers. There are suits in three jacket
lengths, offered in petites, regulars, and talls. washable sweaters and blouses are elegant, durable,
comfortable and tasteful. Fabric that
will withstand the attachment of numerous recognition awards, while maintaining
its integrity and good looks for the duration of the program, is a must.
*
Winner of the outstanding
"Casino" uniforms is the Unisync Group LTD, originating from
Canada. Ryan Beliveau. Marketing
Coordinator....
*
The Disney Costume Wearhouse won two
awards: One for best "Arena or
Sports Facility--" ESPN Wide World of Sports; and one for
"Restaurants, Fine Dining--" Sanaa. All one has to do is say the magic word:
Disney; to know it's full of thought, cultural and art history research,
giggles, and customer-oriented fun.
The ESPN Wide World of Sports
Arena is located on the mammoth Disney World campus, in Orlando, Florida. It's a multi-faceted area where both amateur
and professional athletes come to compete and play. Disney's job,
according to Jodi White, was to build a costume that combined both the
professionalism of an athletic area with all of the sparkle and delight of
Disney World. It is a merger of ABC's
Wide World of Sports, and ESPN (Entertainment Sports Programming Network).
The new uniforms were a
result of the new partnership, and needed after ten years of wear. The costumes are more "today," and
more about the ESPN brand. Everything is
more sports' oriented, more authentic.
The designers didn't want the employees to look like they were
representing just one sport, but all sports.
The color palette is ESPN red, with the ESPN logo on everything, and easy
to identify: Guest Services, Food &
Beverage, Athletic Coordinators, and everyone who works in the Arena. There were two categories: 85% wore red polos
with logos front & back, with black pants or shorts and a red windbreaker
or fleece jacket. The other 15% at the
Welcome Center who do setup, logistics, and competitions, wear light grey, but
in the same outfit. Everyone has a
baseball cap with different logos.
Champion athletic fabrics
that were used, included wicking for moisture absorption, safety with
reflective tape where necessary, logo branding, due to the stretch of the
fabric the ability to fit several sizes, were highly branded and themed to
Disney.
"These uniforms are tied
in with ESPN," said Jodi, " but they're Disney costumes. We have received such positive feedback from
attendees, as well as our cast, who are happy and comfortable, and having a
very good time with a true sports venue, feeling good about themselves. It was a fantastic partnership--ESPN and the
Wide World of Sports." There were
700 people, and approximately 8,500 garments.
*
Sanaa is a South African
themed premiere food location restaurant, a part of the Animal Kingdom Lodge,
located in Kidani Village, Disney World.
Unique, Sanaa is built in a circular fashion with high windows all
around, so that a small savannah complete with wild animals, is able to be
viewed from every seat in the establishment.
Resulting from research involving fabrics, textiles, and colors,
costumes were built for the wait staff, as authentically as possible, and yet
were as comfortable and functional as they were germane to the culture that the
restaurant represented.
There were two kinds of
costumes: The wait staff, who were dressed in very colorful electric blue and
rusts, wearing a dyed poly cotton print that imitated primitive kuba cloth, or
twine. The shirts were blue, pants were
spice, with vests that were brown, beige, or gold. Everything was a solid but the vests; The
greeters represented international students, and their costumes depicted their
countries of origin--daily garments worn for men and women.
For the men, a round little
pillbox hat or kufi, was worn; a dashiki or v-necked top, and pants. A unique print, created by the Disney costume
people, who came up with their own design after studying many others. The colors were all earth tones of spice,
orange, yellow, chocolate, red. The
women wore long, fitted tops to mid hip,
and a fitted skirt with a flair at the bottom, in colors that tied in with the
wait staff, in rusts and blues.
The more inspiration one gives
to the designers, the better it is. The
interior color samples, tile, wall coverings, table coverings, the particular
job to design for, and involvement from project managers. "Disney is considered a leader in innovation
re: fabrics, prints, designs, new ways of sewing things. It is always about surprising the
guests," said Pam . The garments
must be functional, and the casts love them.
In addition, they must fit into the atmosphere of the venue, and the
guests love them. " There are 50
wait staff or 250 sets of costumes; 8 greeters, or 40 sets of costumes. There is always a full size range kept in
stock.
"We are so proud of what
we produce here, and it's nice to have a chance to brag about our
product," laughed Jodi White. "We
are the industry leaders in the type of work we do, and it's nice to be
recognized for it."
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