Letter from the Editor
My whole life, I’ve believed in magic. But not the dramatic sort you see in the movies — no spells, no clouds of smoke. It’s the extraordinary that lives in the everyday; I see it in the experiences we share at Design Collective, the care we have for our customers and families … and especially in the plans we make for the future as we enter an exciting chapter in our history.
We’ve reimagined Design Collective and reinvigorated our offerings with our unparalleled experience and creativity. It’s of utmost importance to us that every client’s individuality is celebrated, with their unique needs and vision addressed and expressed.
I see magic in the smaller details too — and this belief is reflected in Design Collective’s work. We put passion and inspiration in every single stitch, and focus on perfecting each part of our process. From creating meaningful partnerships with our clients, to providing all our teams with the exact tools they need, to utilizing the latest tech to help bring collections to life, it’s the details that help make what we offer truly remarkable.
There is no other team, company or group I’d rather be a part of, and there are no clients I’d rather partner with. Let’s make something magical, together.
President & COO
Made to make a difference
Healthcare industry apparel meets the standard in functionality and style. Looks to inspire wearers with a fresh perspective.
A program providing you with freedom to choose your personal style while offering flexible benefits tailored to your needs.
A collaboration designed to enhance. Discover how UCI Health utilized the Allotment Program to improve employee experience.
Evolve in an ever-changing landscape. An elevated healthcare experience creates a positive impact for employees and partners.
A Reintroduction
Every second of every day, work changes. Trends shift. Life moves forward. And so we’ve moved forward too. Design Collective has a new look and a new approach, offering impactful apparel that’s made to work and designed to stand out.
What we wear is personal. It provides comfort. Confidence. Expression. When it comes to work, the right apparel can make a world of difference. Which is why when designing that apparel, it’s all about a perfect fit: A flexible, collaborative partner. A vision that captures the heart and soul of the brand. And a final design that makes the wearer feel invincible. At Design Collective® , we are the perfect fit apparel partner. Fashionled, on-trend and never satisfied, we work with leaders across a spectrum of industries to create apparel solutions that foster a sense of pride in their people. So when those people prepare for the day and look in the mirror, they don’t just see a job. They see a connection to something bigger than themselves.
This is the power of Working with Style. ™
A journey to find our expression
Creating a memorable experience is paramount. Providing superior service and style is what drives our Design Collective vision. We champion collaboration, creativity and style, marrying our expertise with yours to create a perfect expression of a shared vision.
What we wear is personal
We’re all about the perfect fit
Workwear is more than just functional clothing. The right apparel can inspire employees to bring their best selves to work. Whether creating a wardrobe that’s performance-driven or fashion-led, we thoughtfully consider the details that will make the wearer feel comfortable and full of pride.
We combine a fashion-led, retail-inspired approach with the operational strength of a Fortune 500 company. What you get is the creativity and innovation of a boutique bolstered by the resources of a company that supplies uniforms to over 1 million businesses.
We’re a flexible, collaborative partner that’s worked with leaders in every industry imaginable. Whether your business demands specific garments or you’re looking to create a fashion-forward wardrobe, we’ll work in collaboration to create an ideal apparel solution.
Design Collective® is a perfect fit apparel partner for leaders determined to express their brand vision and inspire employees to feel at their best every day
Design contributors
Michelle Dortch Senior Apparel Designer
Michelle’s role is that of a brand visionary for Design Collective constantly looking to what the future holds in terms of trends and technology. In this role, Michelle straddles the creative and strategic worlds, collaborating with design, technical design, fabric, and operational teams ensuring the continuous evolution of our offering.
Katerina Helebrantova Senior Apparel Designer
Katerina leads the conceptualization, design, product development, and implementation of image apparel collections for several of our key markets, primarily focusing on Hospitality. She joined Design Collective after earning a fashion degree and designing for Escada in Germany.
Allotment Program
Style Meets EMPOWERMENT
The Design Collective Allotment Program is where style meets empowerment! This innovative system gives healthcare clients the ability to define how many units or dollars each employee can spend on work apparel, while the employees get the freedom to select garments within the collection that best match their personal style. The program even allows employees to purchase additional sets on their own if desired.
We work with each client to define the timing of new allotments being added, factoring in the clients’ budget and the employees desire to wear the latest styles. Tailored to meet the specific needs of each customer, our program provides a personalized portal for every hospital or care facility where employees can shop the collection and view how much of their allotment is remaining. We are proud to offer this capability to healthcare providers, ensuring that every organization, regardless of size, can benefit from this empowering technology. As industry trailblazers, being able to offer an apparel collaboration experience like no other is our priority.
The Allotment Program is designed to cater to any number of employees. It is fully customizable and can be easily adjusted, allowing for seamless changes from year to year, ensuring that the program evolves alongside your needs.
The benefits of our Allotment Program are truly innovative. Employees are given the autonomy to place their own orders, promoting personal choice and individuality. In addition, our program promotes cohesive branding, guaranteeing a consistent and professional image. With the convenience of an automated system, managers no longer have to watch budgets or place orders for their team, freeing up valuable time for more important tasks. The importance of perfect fit is also important, which is why our program includes the use of TrueFit® technology, which helps assure the right fit the first time, allowing employees to feel comfortable and confident in their apparel while providing exceptional patient care.
Our esteemed clients, both new and existing, have expressed excitement in leveraging allotments within their program. They love the ease of use and seamless experience. Plus, with orders shipping directly to employees managers no longer need to spend time sorting and distributing staff apparel.
The Allotment Program knows no boundaries. It works wonders for both clinical and nonclinical departments, catering to a diverse range of organizations within the industry. We believe in the power of fashion to create a united community, empowering individuals to feel proud and connected to something bigger. Together, we can redefine the healthcare industry, one fashionable step at a time. Discover how UCI Health embarked on their apparel journey using our Allotment Program to help better serve their employees.
Convenience at the forefront
Collaboration that delivers
UCI Health is a team of dedicated healthcare professionals who believe in improving the lives of people in their community and beyond.
Design Collective partnered with the multi-faceted healthcare group creating an apparel allotment program designed to improve the overall employee experience. They wanted to work with a supplier that provided image apparel for a variety of clinical and non-clinical positions — one their employees could access with ease. We provide a streamlined ordering process to give employees flexible options such as direct-to-door delivery, removing the need for bulk distribution within each department.
Other benefits for UCI Health included utilizing technology allowing employees to track their allotment, with capability to view the number of units remaining to be used during the year. This enables accounting to properly project budget allocation for the following year, helping keep costs low.
With more than 10,000 employees included in the allotment program across 7 hospitals and 3 ambulatory clinics a broad garment offering was important. The collection features preferred brands such as Cherokee®, Wink®, Grey’s Anatomy™ and more, giving employees the ability to add a personal touch while the organization maintains a consistent image. The program has positively impacted employee morale, especially as the collection is refreshed with new garment options.
CREATING AN
Optimal Apparel Program
In addition, employees are able to leverage TrueFit® technology allowing new hires to achieve the right fit without having to come onsite for a fitting.
The benefits of the allotment program create a landscape allowing employees to look and feel their best while the organization achieves cost and time savings, creating an optimal apparel program. The ongoing collaboration between UCI Health and Design Collective results in continuous enhancements to the allotment program, always with the employees being top priority.
Healthcare Hospitality
In the ever-evolving world of healthcare, a powerful trend has taken hold, transforming the way we perceive medical facilities and the professionals who work within them.
As a result, a new space has emerged, one that embraces a “hospitality-like” approach, where the experience goes beyond medical care.
This shift towards a more elevated healthcare experience is characterized by a focus on quality service and the overall experience of both patients and staff. Facilities are embracing a hospitality-centric mindset, incorporating amenities typically associated with hotels, such as gyms and restaurants,
to create a welcoming and comforting environment. With this change comes an inherent need for healthcare professionals to look the part, aligning their attire with their specific job functions. This includes the admitting department, EVS and other roles each requiring a distinct and purposeful wardrobe. To improve staff identification these programs often include a color coordinated system to make individual roles more recognizable.
In response to these shifting dynamics, our brand has curated a range of product categories specifically tailored to the healthcare industry. Our featured products, such as the Regeneration Suiting Collection made using sustainable materials, demonstrate our commitment to providing high-quality garments that exude professionalism and style. We also offer a variety of tailored accessories, including ties and scarves, to enhance and personalize the healthcare attire. Additionally, our collaboration with Chef Works® introduces a mix of apparel that perfectly balances functionality and fashion within food and nutrition departments. EVS staff, in particular, are moving away from traditional scrubs and embracing tunics and other more traditional housekeeping attire, further enhancing their professional image.
At the heart of this trend is the belief that an elevated healthcare experience intersects with the quality of both the service provided and the garments worn. By addressing customer needs and ensuring effective communication, we foster an environment that not only inspires confidence but also establishes a strong connection between staff and patients.
CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS TO SOMETHING LARGER THAN THEMSELVES THROUGH THE POWER OF FASHION
As non-acute and transitional facilities witness a significant shift towards a more personal experience, it becomes increasingly important to incorporate attire that aligns with this newfound approach. Healthcare clients are now more willing than ever to invest in higher-end garments and brands, recognizing the impact of lab coats and scrubs in elevating their overall look. To cater to this demand, we continuously add new collections that reflect the evolving needs of our clients, enhancing employee retention and satisfaction.
The profound impact of this trend becomes evident through the overwhelming responses we receive in patient satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and the overall staff-patient relationship. By connecting individuals to something larger than themselves through the power of fashion, we empower healthcare professionals to embrace a sense of pride and belonging, ultimately enhancing the experience for all involved.
Patient Experience
ELEVATING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE THROUGH QUALITY SERVICE.
Design Collective understands the important role employee apparel can play in patient satisfaction. It’s important to establish a color-coded uniform program in healthcare facilities and goes beyond just making things visually appealing. It also educates employees and patients alike, making it easier to identify different roles and responsibilities. This helps increase patient satisfaction and the type of care they can expect.
With our color-coded scrub program each role, from patient transport to dietician and nursing to therapies has their own defined scrub color. This creates an environment where patients can identify who they’re speaking with and feel more comfortable with the care they’re receiving.
We understand that employee morale is just as important as patient satisfaction. We want employees to feel a sense of pride when they represent their employer. By investing in employee apparel, our healthcare clients show how much they care about their team’s well-being and success.
The most sought after potential employees see the level of care and interest employers have through investment in their uniforms. It’s not just a job; it’s a lifestyle and a community they are becoming a part of. The power of fashion to connect individuals to something bigger than themselves. We are proud to be the choice for healthcare facilities that strive for more than just the status quo.
Our Solutions
At Design Collective, world-class workplace fashion design is just the beginning. In partnering with us, you’ll entrust your brand to a partner that offers unmatched resources and a creative process that’s truly collaborative — from first sketch to final product and beyond.
Curated collection
A boutique collection we make for every client that delivers on the vision for their brand using our proven solutions.
Ready To Wear
Made for multitasking. Designed for mixing and matching. This timeless, on-trend line from Design Collective makes transitioning from professional apparel to more casual attire seamless — ensuring you’re always Ready™ to take on whatever your workday may bring.
Studio
Let our tailored approach capture your brand’s unique, ownable elements. Our Design Collective designers work closely with you to help bring your vision to life. With dynamic design studios in Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami and Toronto, our customized offering puts you right at the center of a collaborative creative process.
Partner Brands
Aspirational apparel collections aren’t achieved by going it alone. By partnering with preeminent retail brands, we take our Ready-to-Wear collection to the next level. Seasonal, complimentary styles from Wink®, Cherokee®, Grey’s Anatomy™, Chef Works® and others keep employees ahead of the fashion curve … and proud to represent your brand.
For more in-depth info on all our product offerings and programs, visit us at Cintas.com/designcollective or call us at 800.864.3676