#286: How Hotel Uniforms Impact the Guest Experience & Employee Performance | with Mia Liu — The Modern Hotelier

What role do uniforms really play in shaping a hotel’s brand experience, and why are they often overlooked despite being one of the first things guests notice?

In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran are joined by Mia Liu, Creative Director of Drape & Stitch, a fashion-forward uniform brand redefining what hospitality teams wear and why it matters.

Mia shares her journey from growing up in China with a passion for fashion and design, to building an international career across design, production, sourcing, and marketing. With deep experience across the fashion and activewear industries, she eventually founded Drape & Stitch in 2022 to bring a more modern, functional, and brand-aligned approach to hospitality uniforms.

The conversation explores how uniforms are often overlooked in hospitality despite being one of the first visual touchpoints for guests. Mia breaks down why hotels should treat uniforms as part of the overall brand experience—not just an operational necessity—and how comfort, durability, and storytelling all play a critical role in shaping guest perception.

The episode continues with deeper industry questions, including:

The most common mistakes hotels make when selecting uniform vendors
Why luxury hospitality is moving away from generic uniform programs
How design details can reflect a hotel’s architecture, history, and identity
Real examples of custom uniform storytelling from luxury properties like Fairmont Washington, DC and Waldorf Astoria
Why comfort and functionality are just as important as aesthetics in modern uniform design

From fabric innovation to brand storytelling, this episode reveals how uniforms are becoming a strategic part of hospitality experience design—and why the future of hotel branding may start with what your team wears.

Watch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_YHLxYzRvWc

This episode is Sponsored by Drape & Stitch: https://drapeandstitch.com/

Links:
Mia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-l-b07ab326/
Drape and Stitch: https://drapeandstitch.com/

For full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/286

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Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn page

Connect with Steve and David:
Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...
David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.