There’s no reason that uniforms can’t be fashionable as well as functional. The hotel industry is saying good-bye and good riddance to the stiff polyester pantsuits and boxy coveralls worn by back-of-the-house staff like housekeepers, engineers and groundskeepers.

Instead, the industry is embracing a fashion-forward approach that acknowledges the prominent role these staffers play in the guest experience every day.

No longer are these employees dressed like the neglected stepchildren of the “golden child” front of the house staff. Hoteliers and uniform manufacturers and designers have wised up and realized that employees who form the “heart of the house” (as Thomas Mathes, general manager of The Muse Hotel in New York likes to call them) are truly the face of the hotel as they go about their housekeeping and maintenance duties, interacting frequently with guests.

“It used to be that these staffers were expected to be seen and not heard. But really, they [employees] are constantly in the hallways and guests are still in their rooms when they are being serviced,” says Suzie Mills, general manager of Trump International Hotel & Tower in New York. “I’ve gotten a lot of positive comments about our room attendants in particular and the guests want these people to be a part of their lives. They like to build up a relationship with the people who do things for them each and every day.”

Recognizing that these everyday guest encounters can have a significant impact on the bottom line, many hotels are now working with major uniform manufacturers like Cintas, House of Uniforms, Top Hat Imagewear and iD by Landau, and independent fashion designers such as Lafayette 148 to design uniform programs that are both functional and stylish. This new approach to the back-of-the-house uniform program means that staffers can still execute their jobs effectively – but now they look good doing it, feel good doing it and visually reinforce the brand message through their fashionable and well-fitting uniforms.

“A successful program is one that the employee likes or tolerates wearing and that best fits the needs. Management will hear about it if employees hate their uniforms,” says Kimberly S. Cooper, vice president at iD by Landau. “Employees are more productive if they are comfortable and happy in what they are wearing. When we go out prospecting an account, we’ll walk the property and talk to people in the current program. That will help us design the right uniform to fit the property.”

Fashion doesn’t “Trump” function

The employees at Trump International Hotel & Tower are very happy with their sleek new two-piece charcoal-toned uniforms of pants and tops that were created via a design collaboration between Ivanka Trump, vice president of development and acquisition for the Trump Organization, and House of Uniforms’ designer Sigal Gold.

“For all of our Trump Hotel Collection uniforms, we wanted every element to be as refined as the name behind the collection in order to bestow a sense of pride and distinction on all associates,” says Trump. “Each uniform was specifically designed to reflect the associate’s purpose and the area of the hotel in which it is worn. We chose a clean, refined design with expert construction and superior fabric and textures that befit the world’s most luxurious hotel brand. While the back-of-house staff is often not as visible as the doorman, front desk or concierge, their role is equally critical and has its own set of demands. The housekeeping pantsuits are designed with the same clean, architectural cut of the collection, and rendered in a fine synthetic blend for breathability and freedom of movement.”

“The process was very clear,” adds House of Uniforms Vice President Fred Kemmerling. “The client wanted something that was utilitarian yet fashion forward and comfortable – something that was simply different. They wanted these employees to feel as special in their uniforms as the doorman, the front desk staff and the restaurant staff feel in theirs. A lot of effort went into making them inclusive.”

The uniforms are made of 100% poly, but it’s a thoroughly updated version of the fabric, in a tropical weight that is the same weave as tropical weight wool, offering an extremely soft hand while still being durable. A vented jacket with an elastic inset in the back offers great freedom of movement for the housekeepers who are constantly bending and stretching as they make beds and clean underneath coffee tables. “I like the pants. They are comfortable, and I can move,” affirms Azra Hadzic, one of the hotel’s housekeepers.

The influence of athletic wear

A job well done by back-of-the-house staff at The Muse Hotel is a job well done in a new, stylish, athletic wear-influenced uniform that was designed to be suitable for the daily activities of the employees, with a dose of Kimpton style. The uniforms – which were tailored for each employee before a scale was created to include sizes from extra small to XXL – include pants, skirts, shirts and seasonal outerwear, and were created for room attendants, house attendants, dispatchers, lobby attendants and special project attendants.

“We wanted to create a unique, athletic look for our heart-of-the-house employees – something fun and in keeping with our hotel’s story of inspiration,” says General Manager Thomas Mathes of The Muse’s uniform makeover. “So I called on Top Hat to create something inspirational-chic.” The Muse also embroiders the employee’s name on the pocket of each shirt in a glacier blue stitching. “The employee should have a connection with their uniform, so we will have a new one made for each new hire,” Mathes says. “It boosts morale and the employee has a great sense of pride and ownership. It is empowering.”

Back-of-the-house employees at Embassy Suites Hotels wear their uniforms not only with great pride, but with the excitement of knowing they are trendsetters. Their uniforms are designed using the latest fabrics that up to now have not been widely used in hospitality settings.

“First and foremost, we wanted to blend fashion and functionality with our team member uniform program,” says Cindy Patton, senior director, new product and service development for Embassy Suites. “Looking to the runways is great in terms of what’s in style and what team members may find trendy, but in reality, we strive for a uniform program that is timeless and classic. Trendy and fashionable is less important with back-of-house uniforms. Function, breathability and comfort are the most important things to take into consideration for these team members.”

That’s why back-of-the-house is where most of the innovation in functionality has taken place for Embassy Suites. “For our suite-keeping staff, we tested new fabrics that have been used in the sports market, but never in our industry,” Patton says “The colors are more flattering, the garments more comfortable and the looks are not so ‘institutional.’”

Embassy Suites hotel managers have three unique collections – all designed by Edward Wilkerson’s Lafayette 148 New York studio – to choose from: a more conservative line called Skyline; the Estate collection which draws upon hot color combinations like chocolate and caramel; and the Veranda collection, which taps into tans and soothing pastels for a perfect fit in a resort environment.

“We have given the suite-keepers a choice of working in a dress or pants,” says Patton. “Through research, we found that some of the suite-keepers felt they needed to wear a more traditional uniform, so they opted for the dress. Others are more comfortable cleaning suites in comfortable pants. The suite-keeper uniforms feature plenty of pockets, so they are very functional. In our Estate collection, we added a touch of comfort with the spa-inspired suite-keeper tunic. Maintenance and engineering feature a more camp-style shirt – think Tommy Bahama. The look is casual and comfortable, but still ‘official.’”

Patton says working with Lafayette 148 New York has given the chain a new outlook on the hotel uniform. “They don’t have to be the traditional, stiff polyester uniforms that look outdated and uncomfortable,” she says. “We now know we can take softer polyester for durability, accent these fabrics with some timeless trends and subtle branding elements and create an entirely new look for our team members – looks they are proud to wear.”

Reaching out to back-of-the-house employees’ pride through appealing and fashionable uniform choices helps ensure hoteliers that these employees are taking care of their guests – and that’s the bottom line for any hotel uniform program. “Everybody is looking better, and when we are happy we can make the guests happy,” says Trump International Hotel & Tower Houseman Jean Leseve. “That is our job.”

Francine Cohen is a contributor to Uniforms.