One Style Philosophy. Ten Ships.

Designing for ten very distinct cruise ships is about creating coherence. Under the helm of KahnSwienty, I approached this challenge with one clear concept in mind: a floating design hotel – clean, modern, and quietly confident.

Excellence is a Swiss success story in river travel. Since building their first Excellence ship in 2005, this fourth-generation family company has remained committed to sustainable quality and innovation, a tradition dating back to 1895. Their legacy inspired the precision and care behind these uniforms.

A new style was created with no naval nostalgia. No sailor stripes or brass buttons. Just sharp cuts, refined construction, and purposeful detail. My mantra: less is more.

Classic colours – navy, black, white, warm grey. Simple styles with intelligent twists. Every piece is built to move, to last, and to elevate.

For housekeeping, we designed sailor-inspired dungarees paired with striped Mao-collar polo shirts. Fresh, functional, and subtly playful.

Service uniforms shift during the day and depending on the setting but transpire effortless elegance and service:

– Poloshirts & Caps for terrace barbecues – relaxed, still precise.

– Warm grey and white for breakfast and lunch service.

– All black in the evenings.

– All black with a tie for gala evenings.

The kitchen staff in the small kitchen needed extra care: we tested several jackets and fabrics in real heat. The result: a light, cotton-rich chef’s jacket – breathable and sharp, made for pace and pressure.

Style without excess, design with intent.

– Veronika