A first look at the Viktor&Rolf’s uniforms for Berlin’s Das Stue Hotel

There is a long history of couturiers dipping their toes into workwear. Thierry Mugler designed the iconic uniforms for Paris’ Le Palace, for example, while Coco Chanel outfitted the stewardesses of Olympic Air. Meanwhile, SO/ Berlin Das Stue, the hotel that took over the city’s Danish embassy, have tapped Viktor&Rolf to dress their staff.

Like the hotel’s interior designer, Patricia Urquiola, the Dutch fashion duo turned to the property’s neighbours for direction—in this case Berlin’s Zoological Garden. “The inspiration was really that the hotel is next to the zoo,” Viktor Horsting tells SLEEK. “Our first idea was to work with animals and attribute one to every function in the hotel.” So, the doorman’s suit features a delicate giraffe print, because he needs to oversee things, while the front desk is embellished with an elephant because of the memory skills needed for the job. Since the bar and restaurant overlook the ostrich enclosure, the corresponding staff sport the bird on their tops.

The duo also borrowed from the classic early 20^th century style of the building’s construction with double breasted coats, leisurely knits and sepia-tinged animal illustrations. Instead of aiming for a rigid suiting, the uniform uses a light touch to distinguish employees from guests. “We wanted people to feel at ease,” Rolf Snoeren says. “The uniform is not really one look, you can mix and match because they are separates. The total look is about having a mix of prints, colours and textures so that it is a lively and playful collection.”

To our disappointment, the actual employee clothing will not be for sale, but slippers with a logo designed by Viktor&Rolf will be available for the guests.