· 05/22/2013
Whitney Pozgay on French stripes and diner dresses
You’ve seen our new flagship store on Greene Street in SoHo—we hope!—and even if you can’t make it in person, we’ll be sharing some behind-the-scenes intel.
A good uniform is a beautiful thing. Among our favorite examples: the boarding school students in Madeline, the bat-swinging women in A League of Their Own (side note: Madonna’s best film role) and old-style baseball uniforms.
These are all tough acts to follow, so we enlisted designer Whitney Pozgay to mastermind the outfits at our new SoHo store. Here, she explains her creations.
What are the requirements of a good uniform? (e.g. Simplicity? Wearability? Stain-hiding capabilities?)
You want something that feels fresh, representative of the brand, and that clearly denotes who works there. That said, personal touches are also great, as are comfort and simplicity. As with any outfit, you don’t want the clothes to wear the person.
If you were to create a mood board with all your inspirations for the Warby Parker uniform, what would be on it?
New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham in his iconic blue jacket, vintage medical uniforms, diner dresses, monogrammed pockets, French working-class uniforms and Japanese workwear.
Bill Cunningham in his iconic blue jacket.
Can you tell us about some of the uniform’s design elements?
I met with the Warby Parker team and Partners & Spade to get an idea of what they were looking for in terms of aesthetics and functionality. Pockets were important, since all of the sales staff will be carrying around iPad minis. We wanted to make sure that the shapes were clean but still had personality. The uniforms have a cool simplicity to them, but the “WP” monogram on the pocket and contrast buttons give the look a bit of kick.
What are some of your favorite uniforms?
I love the little green dresses at Cafe Gitane, the Girl Scouts’ badge-covered sashes and knee socks, and boarding school blazers.
Do you have a personal uniform?
A French striped shirt, every day.
Whitney in her daily uniform. Image via.
Featured photograph by Kevin Tachman.