MELBOURNE: The creative force behind the Patti Constas brand has taken on the corporate sector and come up triumphant.
Patti Ainalis, who founded the Patti Constas bespoke suiting brand more than 18 years ago, has made a successful debut in the corporatewear sector securing four large uniform accounts in as many months.
Naming her new venture PC Corporate, the Yarraville-based designer has recently been awarded a number of tenders among them uniform contract work for Sky City Adelaide, Crown Casino and Hyatt Regency Coolum.
Her latest venture saw her company pitch and subsequently win the account to design uniforms for all front of house, food and beverage and housekeeping staff at the Hilton Melbourne South.
The contract, for an unspecified sum, resulted in Ainalis and her team of six designing around 40 different pieces - including some jewellery - for a staff of 200 Hilton workers.
The Hilton staff, who were employed across 15 different positions, ranged in women's size from a four to 26 and men's size 28 to 54.
Working to a stringent style brief of "sharp but classic", the range was made in Australia and constructed from a mixture of poly/viscose, poly/wool/lycra, polyester and knit jersey blends.
Ainalis, whose Constas label boasts more than 6000 individual clients, said as with contemporary designers Daniel Avakian, Josh Subfusco and Leon Henry, she had opted to diversify into uniform design after encouragement from business contacts and friends.
While designing for such large numbers had its rewards, the most challenging aspect was designing for such a varied range of shapes, Ainalis said.
"[Most uniform ranges] need to be durable. You [also] need to create a unique look for each customer. Once we [understand] the customer requirements and the surroundings that they [will] be in the rest is quite straight forward."
She said uniforms now account for 70 per cent of her overall business and by year's end should represent 90 per cent.