How your uniform designs are inspiring the team
Kate, uniform designer at HemingwayDesign, tells us about how your creations are shaping the new uniform
We’ve already told you about what we learned from the data in response to our survey on new uniform. Having an overview of the trends in members’ opinions has been incredibly helpful, but there’s so much more to be learned from the designs and creativity on the activity sheets you sent us.
Kate from HemingwayDesign has been reflecting on how your creativity has been leading the team’s work during the design process.
‘We received so many amazing dream uniform designs. It was an absolute delight to go through thousands of energetic and hopeful sketches and so heart-warming to see all the joyful ideas. It would be enormous fun to have lots of the more innovative outfits made up for a catwalk show….but I’ll stop dreaming now!
‘Because the uniform we’re designing is not about decoration. Every part of it needs to work hard, and give you good value. If it’s not purposeful, it’s not welcome.
‘This is because most designs we received from you, the members, were very pragmatic. You want a uniform that’s fit for purpose, robust, comfortable, long-lasting in terms of quality and style, affordable and sustainable.
‘That’s a big ask, but your designs have been extremely inspiring and helpful, especially when it comes to the little details that really make this your uniform. Here are some of the ideas from all the sections that are inspiring our thinking through this process.
Charlotte and Kate from HemingwayDesign
Rainbows
‘Rainbows used all the colours in the packet to colour in their activity sheets! We received vibrant sketches with attention grabbing designs. Generally Rainbows were focused on having fun, with lots of Rainbow icons and Rainbow stripes featured.
‘It was clear from these designs how much Rainbows love their section, and how younger girls love bright, fun colours.’
Brownies
‘The Brownies activity sheets were awash with brown and yellow stripes which made us think - and obviously them too - of bumble bees! We know that girls love nature, so we’ve found it interesting to think about how we can reference this in our designs.
‘And together Brownies and Rainbows in general often chose to put large graphics on the front of their hoodies and t-shirts, emphasising their section identities.‘
Guides
‘Whereas Rainbows and Brownies used large graphics in their design ideas, from Guides upwards we started to see a trend that favoured more subtle options. “No big logos on the front” was a common request. It was also clear that as girls get older, having different choices and styling options becomes increasingly important.
‘Lots of Guides styled their uniform tops with black leggings, but we also saw shorts, joggers and cargo trousers featuring. All their ideas are helping inform the choices we make for other clothing items that make up the uniform range. Bottoms for Guides and Rangers aren’t a required part of the uniform, and that’s not changing, but it’s great to know what options girls might like to have.‘
Rangers
‘Similarly to Guides, Rangers were much more likely to use subtle colours and branding. They were more likely to choose options that showed they were part of the Girlguiding family, such as the colour navy, over their section logos and colours.
‘Using this as the basis, we’re exploring ways that the uniform for older girls can focus on the Girlguiding identity, while still allowing for some nods to the Ranger brand. This means we can provide older girls with a more subtle, grown-up look, and give Rangers who are also young leaders more shared items they can wear in both roles. This helps support sustainability, with more opportunities to reuse and re-wear uniform, which we know is important to girls.’
Young leaders and leaders
‘While young leaders were realistic about the need to share uniform with Rangers and leaders, it was clear that they also wanted a way to differentiate themselves. This was important to volunteers as well, for safety reasons. So we’re looking at developing specific items that can be used to easily identify young leaders within a volunteer leadership team, whilst still bearing in mind young people’s preferences for subtle choices. We also saw requests for an option that could be worn formally as well as casually, and leaders wanted a smart option too.
‘Leaders also focused a lot on the practical things uniform needed to do, which was no surprise. They pointed out that having a simple, affordable t-shirt was important, so they could have a few, especially for camps when they’re running around and likely to get mucky. Leaders also requested breathable, comfortable fabrics, having the option of longer-line clothing that covers the bum, and badge tabs that are more robust than the current versions.
‘We’re trying to bring this practical thinking into our designs wherever possible. For example, modesty buttons, underarm ventilation and sleeve adjusters can be used to make garments like shirts more comfortable and personal. But we’re always mindful of balancing this with the need to create garments that are affordable overall.’
More design notes from across the ages
- ‘Pockets! Across all ages, people told us about wanting practical pockets. Rainbows and Brownies especially enjoyed sketching secret pockets for personal items. And lots of styles clearly had outdoor adventures in mind, with requests for utility pockets that could carry lots of equipment and serve different needs.
- Zips! We noticed that there was almost a 50-50 split among members across all sections when drawing hoodies with or without zips. Lots of members preferred zips for temperature regulation, and because they’re easy to take on and off, while others went for hoodies without zips for simplicity and comfort. Older girls and volunteers have all told us how important it is to have choices in their uniform. The team are looking into how we might be able to offer choices like this while still balancing our promises to keep the range sustainable and affordable.’
Final thoughts
‘Throughout this process, our focus has been on the voices of Girlguiding’s members, and incorporating their feedback at every turn. We know how important authenticity and relevance is to uniform design, which is why every decision we’re making is in response to your suggestions. Our role is to refine and enhance your ideas to best suit your needs.
‘We’ve also had the opportunity to visit units, and immerse ourselves in your vibrant community. That’s been really special for us, and has helped to enrich the design process.’