19 Celebrities under the spotlight When did you join Gary’s? “Nordic countries, Germans and Dutch, are among those who pay the greatest attention to a company’s image” Luis Martinez (Uniformes Gary’s) Our interviewee is the Manager and sole administrator of Unifor- mes Gary’s.A young,dynamic entrepreneur,highly professional,he has known how to contribute the energy enabling Gary’s to grow continuously, without a pause. Is there still a lot to be discovered in this sector? IN March of 2012 Gary’s significantly expanded its facilities in the industrial complex of Vélez-Rubio, in Almeria, investing over 1,000,000 Euros in new-generation machines.Today, the company has 24 employees, mostly young women, while some 200 others work in collaboration with the firm, in co-op businesses and clo- thes making smaller businesses. We have not seen it all, and there’s much to be invented yet. Think of the colours you would never have conceived to be possibly included in some sectors, and now you find they are highly fashionable.The same happens with shapes, you’ll see that in the past some of them were inconceivable for this sector and now clients want them.The trend calls for fashion in the work- place, with details that differentiate a company from any other. Is this sector your natural work environment? Do you find some European countries are more aware of their image in terms of uniforms? It is. I was born among fabrics, sewing machines and patterns. In general, it will be the Nordic countries, Germans, Dutch com- panies, they are very much aware of the need of a good image for their company. And they know that price is not the determi- ning factor, but image and quality. The company was created in 2000, when I was 21. Is it almost mandatory to open new markets abroad today? What are the three essential elements in workwear and uniforms? It is, for those companies that are well prepared. Not all of them can adapt to the needs of foreign clients, so demanding in terms of quality, design and service. We are now selling in Sweden and Norway and will soon have a sales network in France. For the future, we know that there’s still much more to do in terms of European markets. Comfort, good design or image, and durability. To what extent is colour important? Is it invariably related to the company’s identity? We will always relate colours or colour combinations to the image of a brand and will recognize the company the moment we see the uniforms. How often do you believe companies need to renovate their employees’ uniforms? It is, of course, natural to think of employees in contact with the public and their impeccable image or uniforms. In general, I think it should be done every year. The many years we’ve been working in a given sector are no cause for saying there will be no surprises. So what has surprised you the most over the past few years, as both positive and nega- tive aspects? The positive side is that companies are now interested in their image and this is translated into the uniforms worn by the staff, so they will try to innovate with lively colours, custo- mized design, etc.The negative side is the cu- rrent situation, for it makes it so much harder for companies to deve- lop the corporate image they seek. Tell us about customized uniforms, please. Do clients accept your Design Department’s advice? Here at Gary’s we have our own designer. She can create pro- posals for our clients. However, in general they will already have an idea, and their own preferences. We always create samples for approval, prior to producing uniforms. Please share your views with our readers, or a personal wish as our interview comes to an end. Of course, my wish is that the current situation will change and improve, for domestic and international markets. I firmly believe this new year will see the end of this difficult period and that re- covery is around the corner. I also want to thank our clients, big and small, and the people who work with us, and let them know we are here for them, supporting their work. If we all work together we will overcome difficulties. Uniformes Gary’s will al- ways be there, to help them and assist them, in all they need. JOBWEAR 63, No I / 2013