A ‘More is More’ Approach to Uniform Design

s designers of luxury uniform, the phrase ‘less is more’ is a constant consideration. We are always aiming to strike the perfect balance between optimum creativity and practical purpose and so find ourselves questioning the phrase a lot.  

With a new project on the horizon, it was clear there would be no questioning it here. ‘Less is more’ has officially been given the cold shoulder as we ask ourselves how we design a practical and timeless uniform for a space that is completely maximalist.

“Maximalism is a loud style composed of mixed patterns and curated collections. Its strongly opposed counterpart minimalism encourages paring everything down to its bare minimum, but maximalism encourages utilising your space in the boldest way possible”.

If you’ve been, you’ll understand why our research began with a trip to Annabel’s private members club in Mayfair. The interiors here showcase a bold and excessive clash of saturated colour and ornate decoration that all somehow work together to create a jaw dropping overall aesthetic.

We took note of the small details that granted the mixture of patterns to appear seamless and luxurious and translate that into our designer uniform.

A great example of this ‘more is more’ approach in fashion was the Gucci Pre-Fall 2017 campaign (a personal all-time favourite) that was a tribute to the Northern Soul scene. Whilst the dance moves certainly reflected the culture, the clothes were writing their own story.

More recently in 2019, the Vivetta Resort collection presented itself in all its whimsical cowboy glory, consisting of embroideries, ruffles, Swarovski fringing, red lip prints, flamingos and cow print (to name just a few!). Unlike Gucci’s collection, we recognised a more cohesive use of colour within these outfits that made them a little more wearable – an obvious essential for uniform design.

To conclude this burst of maximalist inspiration and bring us right up to date, we finish with Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring 2021 ready to wear collection. This was the ultimate guide to mixing pattern, where leopard prints and polka dots were used as the neutrals in the palette for the louder and more colourful patterns to sit against.

If you haven’t seen it already, you can view the rest of the D&G collection here:
https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2021-ready-to-wear/dolce-gabbana

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Written by Beth - Junior Designer

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Imagery courtesy of vogue.com & gucci.com