Four Seasons Dubai meets Rio 2016

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It may be two years away, but plans are already in full swing to kit out the teams for the next Olympic games in Rio.

It’s piqued our interest, because when we saw the pictures for the host nation’s kit, it put us in mind of some of the challenges we face when putting together a uniform programme for a diverse group of people.

Our picture of the Brazil team tells the story better than any words: a successful uniform design has to take account of people who might be 4 ft or 7 ft tall; they might be muscle-bound or willowy; they might have a shot-putter’s neck or a sprinter’s thigh…

Fashionizer currently has a team out in Dubai fitting the uniforms for Four Seasons Resort at Jumeirah beach, and, whilst none of the staff are weightlifters or gymnasts (well, as far as we know), there have been some unexpected turns of events.

We were anticipating a few tall individuals – for example, the doorman – the wonderfully named Harmony – is 6ft 4 and understandably has to have a uniform that fits (no half mast trousers here).

We can predict most things, but then what are the chances of 50 per cent of the staff in one department being size 38 jacket? What are the odds of that?

The Fashionizer team are two thirds of the way through fitting the 550 staff in Dubai. We’d imagined that they would be mopping perspiration from their brows in 40-degree heat. But here’s another thing that wasn’t anticipated: the air-con in the hotel is so ferocious that the only trail that’s being blazed is to the fleece and thermals shop.

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