For over 40 years, NAUMD’s Image of the Year Award competition has been celebrating the efforts of uniform manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers for innovation in creating the most fashionable & forward-thinking apparel programs, and businesses that wear them.
Of the top ten awards revealed by the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors, Cincinnati-based supplier CINTAS bagged six alongside the Best of the Best nod for its work on the Resorts World apparel program. CINTAS was joined by TWIN HILL who won two awards and JA UNIFORMs & LULY YOUNG shared one each to round off the list.
In this article, we take a closer look at the award-winning uniform programs and what sets them apart.
- Design Collective by CINTAS: Resorts World [Gaming and Best of the Best]
Resorts World is the first integrated resort (hotel, casino, entertainment, convention/exhibit center) to have been built on the Las Vegas strip in over a decade and has around 3200 wearers. The uniforms designed by CINTAS are in varying shades of blue to complement the interiors of the property and feature mandarin collars. Cocktail dresses too are uniquely designed to leave a striking style statement on the property. - JA UNIFORMS: Bungalows Key Largo [Hotels, Single Location]
One of the most luxurious all-inclusive resorts in Florida, Bungalows is known for its elegance and customer service that is fueled by its highly passionate employees. While designing the uniform program, it was ensured that the apparels are not only classy but also comfortable to wear in Bungalow’s tropical environment. High-performing, lightweight fabric in light colors was chosen so the uniforms do not attract heat and keep the wearers feeling cool and clean. - Design Collective by CINTAS: Margaritaville [Hotels, Multiple Locations]
Margaritaville is not just any hotel. It’s a place you can escape to and unwind at leisure while being completely yourself. As the hotel chain had several job functions, CINTAS had some real design thinking to do to execute their uniform program.
Since most of Margaritaville’s hotels and resorts are located in warm weather regions, it made sense to create a casual, chic wardrobe specific to job areas. This gave the hotels different choices of outfits based on their location and the wearers felt like they were donning something right out of their closet and not a strict uniform program. - TWIN HILL: McDonald’s [Restaurants, Multiple Locations]
The McDonald’s new uniform program worn by 700,000 crew employees is derived from the 2017 program devised to lend a modern, progressive outlook to the brand.
The evolved wardrobe is more of a casual range featuring graphic t-shirts, polos, t-shirts made of performance fabric, a maintenance polo with reflective safety, and stylish denim jeans that are stretchable for ease of movement. The apparel line is designed to provide maximum comfort and durability required to work in busy quick-service restaurants. - Design Collective by CINTAS: Fairmont Royal York Library Bar [Restaurants, Single Location]
Fairmont Royal York is a historic, luxurious hotel in downtown Toronto. This uniform program by CINTAS is designed for their upscale Library Bar serving a large selection of sophisticated drinks and light food. Currently, it’s manned by 25 employees across different functions namely AM-PM Serves, Hosts, Bartenders, and Bussers.
The program is designed to project an English pub feeling that’s high on suaveness and elegance. The primary uniform elements of the employees there are blazers with high lapels, slim-cut pants, and dresses tailored to the body. - Luly Yang Couture: Amazon [Transportaion Products]
Amazon assigned Luly the task of creating a new custom uniform collection in just three months. Luly and her team sprang into action and met the challenge head-on by designing, getting the prototypes approved, manufacturing, and delivering them to Amazon drivers all around North America in a few months’ time.
Yangs’ designs are proof that uniforms are meant to serve a purpose greater than the utility. They are supposed to feel like the wearer’s second skin – giving them all the confidence to show up at their workplace as their most authentic selves. The newly designed collection uses two of Amazon’s primary brand colors – Prime Blue & Ink Grey – to distinctly represent their fleet of delivery personnel delivery as they go about their duties. - Design Collective by CINTAS: Virgin Voyages [Transportation, People]
Virgin Voyages has 1200 crew members working on each of their ships, and coming up with a new uniform program that justly represented the brand was not going to be easy.
Designer Gareth Pugh really had to push the conventional ideas of what qualifies as a uniform line to make this work. Built around the idea of the modern romance of sailing, the design combines several nautical elements, fun details, and the all-important “V” sign to present a differentiated apparel collection for the Virgin Voyages. - TWIN HILL: Mary Kay [Service]
The Mary Kay Red Jacket program is one of Mary Kay’s popular 3-year corporate wear collections worn by 32000 employees. These individuals earn the privilege of wearing their choice of one of the jackets provided in the program by being amongst the top 6% of all Mary Kay Beauty Consultants.
Every jacket is designed following the constant red theme, but its features, fit, styling, and other details vary, allowing the participates to choose the jacket they feel most beautiful and empowered in. - Design Collective by CINTAS: FC Cincinnati [Entertainment Venue]
FC Cincinnati is a soccer club in TQL Stadium and approximately 1000 employees were enrolled in the new apparel program. It is designed using bright orange and blue colors to separate the employees from the fans in the stadium and make them stand out in the crowd. - Design Collective by CINTAS: ADT [Retail & Professional]
This uniform program was designed exclusively for ADT Commerical technicians to connect them to the core brand in a visually consistent manner. The collection uses the same color palette and fabric of the ADT Residential Program but uses its own color combinations to create a unique outlook.
This program outfits about 2000 ADT Commercial technicians and includes performance knit polo shirts, T-shirts, cargo pants, baseball caps, layering pieces, and outerwear.
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