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Case Study - Higher Ground
Uniform style for experiential dining
Since 2006 the team behind Higher Ground have been pushing the boundaries by redefining the café experience.
No stranger to the Melbourne food scene with their highly successful sister-venues Kettle Black and Top Paddock, Nathan & Patrick from Higher Ground approached Cargo Crew to produce a modern uniform that would mirror the clean-lines and scale of the 1980’s heritage-listed, former power station.
Higher Ground is an all-day dining destination located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD boasting 15 meter high ceilings, and bespoke interior design features that highlight the heritage of the building, while offsetting the immaculately creative menu.
Our brief was to create a uniform for their crew that would offer the same level of attention to design detail.
The Higher Ground crew wear our Rex Utility Shirt Short Sleeve in Charcoal featuring bespoke patches on the back, paired with black pants. The look is simple and classic, while helping staff look united and meeting the industrial style brief with the utility details and texture of the Rex Shirt.
We took 5 minutes out with Nathan Toleman, Founder and CEO of The Mulbery Group which owns Higher Ground, to chat life lessons, their modern look uniform and what the future holds.
"Praise your staff, trust them, and invest in them."
What’s the biggest lesson you wish you knew before you started?
That nothing can ever stay the same. That sometimes in order to move forward and grow you need to let go of the past. But there are so many things I am learning every day. I think that’s ok.
What gets you leaping out of bed in the morning?
Working with great people, creating new spaces and watching them open and come to life.
What were you looking for in a modern uniform for Higher Ground?
Something that was smart and comfortable that represented our brand.
What was it like to collaborate with Cargo Crew?
It was great to find someone that understands our business and allowed us to be involved in the creative process.
What’s your biggest pet-hate in the hospitality industry?
Customers that say they care about high quality, sustainable produce but aren’t willing to pay for it. Venues that don’t understand the importance of investing in recycling and waste management.
What do you believe will be the biggest change to the industry in the next 5 years?
Hopefully more and more customers will start to care about how venues compost and recycle their waste and venues will be forced to act.
What are your tips for getting the best out of your staff?
Praise them, trust them and invest in them.
We offer a wealth of knowledge for creating hard-wearing uniform designs that suit both the functional requirements of businesses like yours, while also developing a uniform style that represents your modern business and brand.
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