Timo Weiland has a “suite” new collaboration in the hotel biz. The brand has teamed up with Crowne Plaza Hotels on a wardrobe collection for hotel staffers. We caught up with the brand’s co-founders and creative directors Timo Weiland, Alan Eckstein and Donna King to get the scoop on the project.
Timo, what sparked this collaboration with Crowne Plaza?
Timo: The IHG Crowne Plaza team reached us through some of our ongoing collaborators at Coffee Agency. From the start, we were impressed with IHG’s grand vision, including the $200 million Accelerate Program. We are the core customer—global business travelers always on the go—so this was a perfect alignment.
What was the inspiration behind the staff uniforms?
Timo: Key inspiration came from the concept of a wardrobe, rather than a hotel uniform. Each look inspirited our signature Timo Weiland modern prep aesthetic—classic with a fresh twist. We titled the collection “Momentum” because it is all about empowering and propelling the team members to perform their best throughout the day.
Donna: We looked at a lot of classic American inspirations, such as our favorite films and time periods. The handsome man from Mad Men, the iconic grey suits from Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, the whimsy from Wes Anderson, with a healthy dose from our own collections and the universal city we call New York all played a role in this collection.
Alan: We really wanted to design uniforms that could last 10 to 20 years and still feel modern. So ironically, we looked at designs mostly from the ’50s and ’60s. We injected our own variation of quirky and fun mixed with American nostalgia, and “Momentum” is what we got!
What was the most challenging element of this project?
Timo: The most important aspect to us was to make each and every team member feel and look their best, regardless of age, gender, size, and style. Addressing this vast cross-section of the population was a happy challenge. The most rewarding thing is to hear team members from all walks of life express satisfaction and pride in the way they look. Another challenge was the aspect of utility, durability, and climate, but our partnership with the amazing team at CINTAS (one of the world’s largest uniform manufacturers) made it all possible.
Why did you decide to debut the collection at NYFW?
Timo: As a brand and a team, this project has been a career highlight for us. It felt only natural to showcase the Momentum Collection by Timo Weiland for IHG Crowne Plaza during NYFW. The week has evolved over the past decade, and thus it also felt timely.
Donna: This project took an entire year, where we worked very closely with our Crowne, Cintas, and Coffee Lab teams and finally with the employees that worked at the hotels. This also was the biggest collection we have worked on. It felt obvious all of this should be showcased. There were so many moving parts. The runway show would have been a daunting task if we didn’t have such incredible partners.
Timo, what kind of traveler are you?
Timo: Strategically spontaneous. I always have loose, tentative travel plans that shift upon arrival at any destination. There are always meetings and catchups combined with added adventures along the way.
What’s your hotel routine like?
Timo: Upon arrival, I usually unpack as fast as possible and, depending on time of day, head to the coffee bar or the hotel bar prior to heading out for a first stop. I love arriving early to hit the gym, pool, or beach before a full day of meetings or events.
Room service go-to?
Timo: When I am being bad, it’s a good old-fashioned cheeseburger smothered in condiments with fries and a vanilla milkshake. If I am craving breakfast, it’s usually a lobster or salmon egg-scramble with a mimosa.
