The Empire State Building Observatory Reveals New Host Uniforms with Designer Peyman Umay

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Empire State Building today unveiled its newly designed Observatory host uniforms to button up the recent $165 million reimagination of the Observatory Experience. More than 100 Observatory hosts and gift shop attendants will wear the work of renowned fashion designer Peyman Umay who worked over two years to incorporate the Empire State Building’s iconic Art Deco style and complement the colors of the Observatory’s extensive exhibit galleries.

“The new year brings a new look to the World’s Most Famous Building with a uniform design as unique and timeless as the Empire State Building itself,” said Empire State Realty Trust’s Chairman, President, and CEO Anthony E. Malkin. “The fresh design is an authentic, new take on the building’s iconic Art Deco flair and works well with the finishes found throughout the Observatory.”

The “Empire Steel” gray, four-piece uniforms – which feature “City View Blue” accents on lapels, interchangeable collars, and asymmetrical pocket flaps – were chosen in a vote by Observatory social media followers to replace the previous burgundy garments. Elegant details point to the building’s architectural legacy through custom embroidered patches, printed ties, and lasered metal buttons. Gold cogs and wheels, a nod to the landmark Fifth Avenue Lobby’s brilliantly restored 23 carat gold ceiling, line the jackets and vests. The Observatory hats maintain their classic service-cap shape with the updated “Empire Steel” and “City View Blue” colorway, that is predominantly found throughout the Observatory Experience.

"The change is great, and the look is more modern than what we had before,” said Robert Gross, who has served as an Empire State Building Observatory host for nearly 25 years. “These uniforms have the classic ESB feel with a renewed sense of style.”

Peyman Umay – a fashion design house that specializes in high-end menswear and womenswear– consulted the Empire State Building Observatory team through the process from the design concept to the completed product. Uniforms are fitted and altered in the Empire State Building’s uniform room.

“The new Empire State Building uniform is an impeccable fusion of the building’s iconic past and a futuristic vision. It’s about now,” said designer Peyman Umay. “My team and I focused on creating more than just a uniform – rather an unmistakable feel of clothing – that features modern design details to enhance the ESB’s unalterable brand identity, reflecting the true soul of such an archetype. In a most organic alignment between two brands, this feels right. It simply feels magical. For this dream journey, I am grateful.”

To celebrate the new design’s debut, the Empire State Building’s tower lights will shine blue on Jan. 24.

More information about the Empire State Building can be found online.

Hi-res images and b-roll of the Empire State Building Observatory’s new uniforms can be found here.

About the Empire State Building

The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience creates an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102^nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86^th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. Learn more at www.esbnyc.com. Declared "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, the #1 Attraction in the United States in Tripadvisor’s 2022 Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best, and the #1 New York City attraction by Lonely Planet, it welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors from around the world.

Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors primarily house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.

Source: Empire State Realty Trust, Inc.
Category: Observatory