Marriott, a big hotel corporation, isn't known for taking chances. But the hotelier hopes to get noticed by outfitting its employees at the new JW Marriott in downtown Houston with uniforms designed by David Peck.
The Houston-based designer has created a number of different outfits for the hotel's 250 employees, along with a style book that shows ways the clothes can be mixed and matched. "They didn't want a standard gray uniform. It should be more of a wardrobe than a uniform and really be style-setting," Peck said.
"With this mini-wardrobe, [employees] can reflect their own personal style."
"They didn't want a standard gray uniform," says designer David Peck. "It should be more of a wardrobe."
Indeed, the clothing Peck created — jackets, pants, blouses and dresses — looks more like trendy office attire than a standard hotel uniform. The collection features menswear-inspired fabrics in neutral shades with royal blue and brilliant yellow hues for pops of color.
Peck, who is known for his prints, also created a custom print that references the historic building, which was constructed in 1910 as Houston's first skyscraper. The building's owner, Pearl Hospitality, is spending more than $80 million to renovate it into a modern hotel at 806 Main St. while retaining its historic features.
For the men's looks, Peck teamed with Suitsupply and Hamilton Shirts to adapt suits and made-to-order shirts for the collection. To tie together the men's and women's styles, he used the print from women's blouses to make pocket squares and bow ties for the guys. Those items will be sold at the hotel when it opens in mid-September.
The opportunity came about when Carliss Chatman, legal counsel at Esperson Gallery, which is curating a large art collection at the hotel, connected Peck with Marriott officials. "This hotel is a rebranding of JW Marriott. They want it to be a unique boutique and not what you would typically find," Peck said. "It was fun to bring it all together."
Peck will unveil the hotel uniforms along with his fall collection at a runway show at the hotel on September 29. The hotel will also be the scene of CultureMap Houston's fifth birthday party on October 10, as well as the headquarters for Fashion Houston in November.
This video that explains the collaboration:
David Peck, third from left, created a lot of different looks for employees at the new JW Marriott in downtown Houston.
