Thomas W. Watson, president/owner, London Uniform Company, never set out to be a hotel uniform designer. He spent many years running a successful bespoke design firm, creating custom clothing for his high-end clients.
“I did everything handmade and custom for individual clients,” he explained. “Boutique hotels would occasionally come to me with a hard-to-fit employee who couldn’t just wear an off-the-rack uniform. They’d ask if I could create something special. That’s really how it all started.”
He knew he had found his new calling when a client asked for something unique for their employees—and ordered the custom uniforms in bulk. “That’s when I knew I needed to focus on this,” he said.
Watson relocated to Miami and launched his new uniform company, which now has representatives in New York and London. The company has built a reputation for creating uniforms that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional, while offering a level of service that most manufacturers can’t match.
“We can come up with concepts quickly, adjust them instantly and still deliver hands-on service,” he said. “Sometimes, hotels call me on a Sunday because they’ve just hired someone new, and I’ll go measure that person myself. That’s the level of attention we provide.”
Unlike larger uniform providers, he refuses to rely on hotel staff to do the measuring. “Someone will say they’re a 40 regular, but when I measure them, they’re a 44 with a 38-in. waist,” he noted. “Getting it right matters because these uniforms represent the brand.”
For some new hotel clients, he takes this commitment even further. “If a property has 100 employees, I’ll fly in for two or three days with samples,” he said. “We’ll have everyone try on garments to make sure the fit is perfect. That’s how you build confidence with a client.”
The clients are very much involved in the design process because “the design has to tie into the overall property aesthetic,” he explained. “If it’s a high-end boutique hotel with a 1920s theme in the lobby, the uniforms have to echo that concept. We’re not cookie-cutter. A hotel can say it wants, for example, everyone in white pants, chambray shirts and seersucker jackets, and we can make it happen.”
That flexibility extends to the choice of fabrics, which must strike a balance between comfort and durability, considering many hotel employees are on their feet all day; some, like a doorman or valet, may work in inclement weather.
“We use performance fabrics for polo shirts that are breathable and moisture-wicking, especially important in Florida markets,” Watson said. “For trousers and jackets, we favor lightweight wool blends. They drape better, don’t wrinkle as much and stay comfortable during long shifts. You can’t always tell they’re wool blends—they look and feel like cotton, but they’re more durable.”
Over time, Watson’s work expanded beyond clothing. “I overheard someone in a meeting asking about customized towels, and that’s when it hit me—I could offer those, too,” he recalled. “I had factories contacting me about towels, so I just told the client, ‘We can do that.’ And it took off.”
Today, London Uniform Co. supplies hotels with towels, bathrobes, linens, slippers, drapery and furniture.
“We’ve become a one-stop shop,” Watson said. “A hotel might ask for 200 lounge chairs for the pool or 1,000 window treatments, and we can do it.”
This expansion has helped grow the company’s revenue stream. “Uniform orders are steady, but they’re often small quantities—three jackets here, five pairs of pants there,” he said. “Amenities and furniture come in bulk, and hotels are always refreshing them. It made sense to expand.”
London Uniform Co.’s clients include the Acqualina Resort & Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, FL, as well as the Bentley Hotel South Beach and W hotel in Miami.
“We also service condo associations and HOAs along the ocean,” said Watson. “Even though they aren’t hotels, they still need front-desk uniforms.”
The company’s reputation has spread through referrals and partnerships. “Furniture companies approached me because they saw I was outfitting hotels they already supplied,” he said. “Now, instead of competing, we collaborate.”
To simplify the breadth of his company’s offerings to potential clients, Watson is planning to create three separate companies: London Uniform, London Textile and London Amenities.
“One will focus solely on uniforms; another on linens and towels; and another on furniture and drapery,” he said. “That way, we can scale each side of the business properly.”
Even as he prepares for expansion, Watson insists his company will never lose its core identity.
“We pride ourselves on giving hotels a tailored experience,” he said. “We’re not just offering a black blazer and khaki pants. We’re helping them tell their story through design.”
