By Randi Gollin, ZAGAT.com staff editor
Now that celeb decorators and architects have become as de
rigueur as superstar chefs for high-end restaurants, it's only
fitting that fashion designers should follow suit.
Big-label names jump-started the trend a while back, with
Giorgio Armani outfitting staffers at Armani/Nobu in
Milan and Todd Oldham doing the same at Wish at
The Hotel in Miami Beach, and they show no sign of stopping:
in New York City, Narciso Rodriguez whipped up striking outfits
for Del
Posto, the just-opened Batali-Bastianich venture, while
the team behind the relaunched Norman Norell New York line
stepped up to the plate at Sascha, chef Sascha Lyon's upcoming
Meatpacking District restaurant/bar/bakery.
Left to Right: Designs for Del Posto (Narciso Rodriguez); Wish (Todd Oldham); Sascha (Norman Norell New York)
Perry Street staff dressed in Calvin Klein
Alinea chef-owner Grant Achatz in Z. Zegna
Yeohlee-clad servers in The Modern's bar room
photo: Quentin Badcon
Bong Su hostesses will sport this sexy Calvin Tran tunic with pants, rather than hotpants
Hipster labels are hot too. NYC's Bette crew
wears Earnest Sewn jeans, staffers at LA hot spots Bella and Geisha
House don edgy Petro Zillia creations and Vietnamese designer
Calvin Tran is dressing servers in silk tuxedo jackets and
hostesses in slinky backless tunics at San Francisco's Bong
Su, a sibling of Palo Alto's Tamarine opening
in late February.
The increased focus on uniforms makes sense given that design
and style "matter more now than ever before," says Lois Freedman,
director of operations for Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurants,
including his latest NYC venture, Perry
Street. Dining out is no longer just about what's for
dinner; it's about the mix of "food, service and atmosphere," Freedman
notes.
In keeping with Perry Street's 1960s vibe, Freedman opted
to go "back to basics and keep it really simple, but really
chic," turning to designer Kevin Carrigan of Calvin Klein,
who came up with smart black trousers and white shirts, worn
with neckerchiefs for women and skinny black ties for men.
A very different look was required at Vongerichten's Asian-themed Spice
Market in NYC's Meatpacking District. There, the call
went to a lesser-known designer, Alpana Bawa, who created
sexy Indian-inspired, open-backed tops for female staffers.
Grant Achatz, chef-owner of Chicago's innovative Alinea,
wanted uniforms that would "uphold the image of the decor" – i.e. "very
sleek and modern, yet very luxurious." He chose Ermenegildo
Zegna's spin-off line, Z. Zegna. "When the service team puts
on those suits, they gain confidence because they feel they
look good and they're comfortable," Achatz explains.
While restaurateurs want uniforms to make a statement, few
are looking to leave diners thinking "'wow, what a crazy dress
she had on,'" notes Kristina O'Neal, one of the principals
behind AvroKO, a cutting-edge design-and-concept firm that
created the look for several NYC hot spots (Odea, Sapa, Stanton
Social) as well as its own restaurant, Public.