Apparel house offers new look

SYDNEY: Solomon Brothers Apparel has managed to achieve the impossible by bringing a smile to the faces of Sydney city parking rangers.

Staff at the 88-year-old corporate uniform manufacturer faced what was possibly one of the most challenging briefs in apparel history after their firm was awarded a five-year contract to give the city's rangers a "friendlier" appearance.

The agreement, which culminated in the uniform launch earlier this month, saw Solomon Brothers outfit all 200 of the city's rangers in an attempt to help promote their expanded role as tourism ambassadors.

As of two weeks ago, the rangers' role now includes an increased focus on pedestrian safety, environmental education and enforcement of littering and pollution laws.

Solomon Brothers New South Wales state manager Kerrie-Ann Chard said the first task undertaken by the company was to replace the rangers' black and grey uniform - which had earned the rangers the nickname of "grey ghosts" - with a more contemporary olive green ensemble.

Chard said the introduction of the new uniform included pale mint shirts, pullovers and jackets, and olive cargo-style trousers, but also extended to accessories by way of baseball caps, Akubra-style hats, summer-weight hats, belts, water bottle holders and new bags.

The range, which keeps in theme with the council's new "City of villages" logo, also includes new all-purpose winter jackets that incorporate reflective safety strips.

Manufactured in China and Australia, the range was produced largely from polycotton but also utilised other fabrics such as felt and leather designed to ensure rangers were protected from all the elements.

Chard, whose employer also designs uniforms for many other councils including Ku-ring-gai and Waverley as well as a host of Sydney's hospitals, said one of the most difficult aspects of the project was the sheer logistics of such a brief.

"We had to size 200 people which is not an easy task. We had their measurements on a database but over the duration of the project, people changed sizes which caused a few problems."

Chard said the new uniforms had been well received by the public which had helped raise the profile of the brand.

By Tracey McEldowney