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 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
Welcome to the most seamless way to manage healthcare apparel — an innovative approach that frees you and your staff to focus on providing your patients with the exceptional care they deserve.
No longer will you spend time placing employee apparel orders and sorting and distributing garments when they arrive. Through automated efficiency, the Design Collective Allotment Program will simplify your experience and empower your team.
Here’s how it works:
• You’ll define the set dollar or garment amount each of your employees can spend on the healthcare apparel you’ve selected.
• Through your branded online apparel store, your staff can view garments specific to their job function and choose options within the collection that best match their personal style.
• After the selected garments have been added to their shopping bag, employees can submit their order and relax knowing their apparel will be delivered directly to their home.
• Your team always has the ability to see how much of their allotment is remaining, and they can even purchase additional sets on their own if they’d like.
• A full suite of reporting tools help you manage your employee allotments and track spending.
Our healthcare clients have shared how much they’ve benefited from leveraging allotments within their program, from presenting a polished, unified image to achieving simplified cost control and successful budget management.
Just as important, their employees say they love having the autonomy to place their own orders online and express their personal choice and individuality — as well as having the ability to view their allotments at any time, and much more.
On the following pages, discover how UCI Health relied on the Design Collective Allotment Program to better serve their employees and patients, and save time and money.
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 to create an apparel allotment program that would simplify the ordering and budgeting process, achieve a unified image, and enhance the overall employee experience.
UCI Health wanted to work with a leading supplier that provided high-quality apparel for a variety of clinical and non-clinical positions. They were also looking for an apparel offering their employees could access with ease.
Design Collective answered the call with a program that not only streamlined the ordering process for employees and provided them with direct-to-door apparel delivery, but also provided flexibility and allowed them to choose options within a healthcare collection that reflected their unique style.
UCI Health was able to capitalize on innovative technology that provided additional benefits by giving their team the ability to see how much allotment they had left to use during the year.
At the same time, advanced reporting tools helped UCI Health manage allotments and track spending — making it easier to more accurately project budget allocation for the following year and keep costs low.
We knew it was also vital to provide a broad apparel offering, given that there were more than 10,000 employees included in the allotment program across seven hospitals and three ambulatory clinics.
Having access to trusted brands was paramount, and this was accomplished by featuring brands such as Cherokee®, Wink® and Grey’s AnatomyTM. Healthcare employees had the freedom to add a personal touch to their apparel, while UCI Health maintained an elevated, cohesive image.
An apparel program that evolves
The partnership with Design Collective truly is a win-win for UCI Health.
The organization has achieved both time and cost savings, and has benefited from ongoing enhancements being made to the program. And with a collection that continually refreshes with stylish new garment options, UCI Health employees always look and feel their best.
Healthcare Hospitality
In response to these shifting dynamics, Design Collective has curated an array of apparel selections specifically designed for the healthcare industry. One example is our Regeneration Suiting Collection, which is made using sustainable materials and demonstrates 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 add personal touches to healthcare attire.
What’s more, our collaboration with Chef Works® introduces a mix of trend-forward apparel that perfectly balances functionality and fashion within food and nutrition departments. And to further enhance the professional image of EVS staff, our modern tunics and other traditional housekeeping garments offer elevated choices that go beyond clinical scrubs.
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
DISTINGUISH YOUR TEAM AND ENHANCE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Outside care and patient satisfaction start with a professional-looking healthcare team. By outfitting your staff in distinctive apparel from Design Collective, you’ll be building trust and credibility with your patients and positively impacting their experience at your facility.
Our technical capabilities allow us to help our clients set up a color-coded scrub program where every role — from nursing and patient transport to dietary and therapies — has their own defined scrub color that emphasizes their area of expertise and experience. The result: your patients can quickly identify the staff they’re interacting with, and feel the utmost confidence in the care they’re receiving.
Exceptional apparel for exceptional care
Design Collective is equipped to outfit every department in your healthcare organization with the on-trend apparel your team loves, including preferred brands such as Cherokee®, Wink®, Grey’s AnatomyTM , Chef Works® and more.
Most importantly, when you invest in the highest quality healthcare apparel, you’re also investing in employee morale. Your team will feel comfortable and confident as they provide the most exceptional patient care — and you’ll be able to show them how much you appreciate the incredible hard work and dedication they bring to work every day.
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.
