Daily Front Row

2012 November 1

Richard Chai Gussies Up Andaz Fifth Avenue

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Richard Chai
Patrick McMullan View Gallery

(NEW YORK) The latest fashion collab goes the hotel, not high-low fast fashion, route: Richard Chai is whipping up uniforms for the Andaz Fifth Avenue hotel. But the hospitality-skewed project is a one-off for Chai. Each Andaz outpost features ensembles by different designers—the Wall Street location of the upscale Hyatt Hotels-owned chain outfits its staffers in Theory threads.

Chai's getups will be worn by the midtown hotel's front desk hosts, concierges, and servers in its restaurants and bars; expect the new togs to debut in the next two months. The designer also got some on-the-turf experience at the digs he designed for: he recently holed up at the hotel on 40th Street and Fifth Avenue in post-hurricane Sandy.

Recently, Chai partnered with Effen vodka in June on a frock to benefit DIFFA. Previous Chai pairings include a capsule line for Original Penguin in 2011, plus a spate of looks for Palladium earlier this year. In February, Chai was appointed creative director at Filson; back in 2008, the designer rolled out a Target collection.
ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV