Tasteful uniform in the Swiss Pavilion

The uniform worn by the personnel in the Swiss Pavilion is one of the key constituent elements of the pavilion and has been designed to fit in with the overall concept as regards substance and visual coordination.

In developing and designing the uniform, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Presence Switzerland, worked in cooperation with designer Paola De Michiel, who assumed responsibility from the conceptual stage right through to the point where the uniform was ready for production.

The process of designing the uniform started with a competition amongst the Swiss Colleges of Design, specifying that tops were to be created for both ladies and gentlemen to fit in with the exhibition theme. The tops were, furthermore, to reflect rural Switzerland and to harmonise well with the basics (trousers, jacket and shoes) which have a city look. Ten proposals were submitted, and the winning one came from Michelle Schneuwly, a student at the Geneva Haute École d’Art et de Design (HEAD), with a pattern called “white and noble”. Her idea was subsequently refined in detail by Paola De Michiel to create the ladies’ and gentlemen’s tops in their definitive form.

The inspiration underlying the ladies’ and gentlemen’s tops is the typical white blouse of a traditional costume, with sophisticated highlights in the contrasting colour of red. A clean break is, however, made with traditional rural design by opting for a modern asymmetrical cut and by translating it into today’s haute couture. The top is combined with grey three-quarter-length trousers in an urban look. The red-and-white Künzli sports shoes take up the theme of the tops’ playful combination of colours.

All parts of the uniform were developed and produced in Switzerland. The shoes are of Swiss design too and were also manufactured in Switzerland. The choice of materials fell in favour of Swiss Organics, setting the tone with ecologically and sustainably produced Swiss textiles. The Swiss Pavilion Uniform was produced with the kind support of three Swiss textile suppliers: Eugster + Huber Textil AG, Bischoff Textil AG and Hausammann + Moos AG.