SO/ Vienna - Designer uniforms

SO/ VIENNA and Viennese fashion designer Arthur Arbesser present new uniform collection for employees

Clear lines, striking patterns and a rebellious play of colors reflect the design of the hotel on Vienna's Danube Canal


MUNICH, October 22, 2021
- Elegant in its straightforwardness, yet striking and a touch rebellious with eye-catching patterns and bright colors: this is how not only the SO/ Vienna presents itself to its guests, but now also the staff uniforms shown for the first time in collaboration with the well-known Viennese fashion designer Arthur Arbesser. At first glance more fashion piece than workwear, Arbesser's designs have succeeded in capturing the bold interior design of Jean Nouvel and the luminous artworks of Pipilotti Rist, as well as the spirit of the SO/ brand, while at the same time transferring it for use in everyday hotel life. Arbesser thus joins the ranks of top designers with whom the luxury lifestyle brand SO/ Hotels & Resorts, part of the leading international hotel group Accor, collaborates around the globe.

The SO/ brand sees itself as a dazzling addition to the global hotel scene with its playful, but also deliberately rebellious interpretation of the luxury hotel industry. The brand's signature elements include avant-garde design, a sense of current trends, trendy beats, the "Just Say SO" service as well as bars and events with their finger on the pulse.

This claim can also be found, uniquely presented, in the new uniform collection by Arthur Arbesser: classic, restrained colors such as grey, white and black and simple stripes and check patterns have been combined with colorful motifs and thus show all the contradictions that make up the design of SO/ Vienna. The collection, which includes uniforms for receptionists, service staff and housekeeping as well as new outfits for the bartenders, radiates modernity and exclusivity and has been brought to life using the finest fabrics and the best tailoring. At the same time, it is playful to take away the usual seriousness of the luxury hotel industry.

How hotel uniforms become fashion

Arthur Arbesser was inspired by the work of architect Jean Nouvel and artist Pipilotti Rist, who are largely responsible for the design of the SO/ Vienna. The characteristics of the two architects can be found in various elements of the collection - from graphic grids and strict lines to playful colors and surprising contrasts with reference to the Art Nouveau history of Vienna. The all-over prints on the bartenders' uniforms and receptionists' shirts, for example, make reference to the ceiling artworks by Pipilotti Rist. Arbesser has also derived some color combinations from these, including pink/orange/pink or the intense blue for the men's uniforms. The structured façade of the building is in turn reflected in the gray and black patchwork skirts of the receptionists' uniforms.



What distinguishes working on a hotel uniform from fashion designs? "Time and my sources of inspiration. For the SO/ Vienna designs, I really had the time to immerse myself in the hotel, in the core of the SO/ brand. I woke up in these unique rooms, looked out over the city under the radiant 'sky' of Rist and let myself be captured by the atmosphere. Only then did I start my work and worked on it until I had captured the spirit of the hotel and its employees," says Arbesser.

"However, you also have to be clear about the basic idea behind a uniform. Fashion is often short-lived and subject to trends. My uniforms should be a permanent part of the hotel and must therefore remain timeless to a certain extent."

And they have to be designed in such a way that they accompany their wearers through everyday life without getting in the way. "It was particularly important to me that the uniforms were of high quality, both in terms of my artistic standards and in terms of the quality of the fabrics and workmanship. At the same time, they should have a playful, cheeky twist," explains Arthur Arbesser, who also regularly designs costumes for theater and ballet productions.

"Right from the start of this two-year process, it was absolutely clear to us that we had found the perfect creative partner in Arthur Arbesser. He combines the two personalities of our hotel in himself and his designs like no other: the straightforward, straightforward, bold and the playful, rebellious, escaping the everyday. The result reflects exactly that and we are delighted to welcome our guests with our new external appearance with immediate effect," says Christian Klaus, General Manager of SO/ Vienna.

About the designer Arthur Arbesser

The SO/ Hotels & Resorts brand has been working with international designers since it was founded, from Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Lacroix to Viktor&Rolf. For its first hotel in Austria, SO/ has chosen a designer who not only reflects the lifestyle of the brand and the hotel in particular, but also has local roots. Born and raised in Vienna, Arbesser has known the city's culture from an early age. Vienna, with its turn-of-the-century architecture and rich artistic heritage, has always been an important source of inspiration for his work. At Central Saint Martins College for Art and Design, he quickly developed his personal aesthetic, which was influenced by his close contact with the creative London art scene. After graduating, he moved to Milan, where he was an important part of the Giorgio Armani design team for seven years. In February 2013, Arthur Arbesser launched his successful women's fashion line of the same name. In addition to his own label, he also works as a creative consultant and is involved in numerous collaborations ranging from furniture to product design.