Canlis by Luly Yang

Canlis is a three-generation family-owned fine dining restaurant in Seattle, known for its Japanese-inspired Pacific Northwest modern architecture and refined hospitality. The uniform program serves approximately 40 front-of-house staff including hosts, servers, and valet. The wardrobe includes tailored blazers, vests, shirts, tailored and performance trousers, ties, pins and brooches, and modular outerwear. A restrained palette of charcoal, black, and natural tones reflects the restaurant’s architecture. Garments incorporate custom silk accents with Japanese maple motifs and Lebanese cedar-inspired hardware details, translating the restaurant’s heritage into a contemporary hospitality wardrobe that supports service mobility and a polished guest experience.

The goal was to translate Canlis’s century-long heritage into a modern hospitality image aligned with its architecture and service culture. The design draws from Pacific Northwest modernism and Japanese Wabi-Sabi philosophy, emphasizing craftsmanship, restraint, and natural materials. The program balances elegance with practicality through modular layering pieces that allow staff to transition between outdoor arrival service and indoor dining environments. Tailoring, durable stretch fabrics, and functional construction ensure comfort during long service hours while maintaining a refined appearance that reflects the restaurant’s brand identity and commitment to exceptional guest experience.

The design process combined historical, cultural, and operational research. Designers studied the restaurant’s architectural language, heritage, and early service traditions, including the historic use of Japanese kimono uniforms. Environmental analysis of Seattle’s climate informed layering and outerwear needs for staff working between interior and exterior spaces. Material and silhouette testing ensured mobility and comfort during service. Landscape elements from the restaurant grounds, including the founder’s cedar tree, inspired signature hardware and design details, translating the physical environment and history of the restaurant into a cohesive modern uniform system.

The uniform collection was introduced as a unified wardrobe system across the hospitality team. Modular garments allow staff to adapt pieces to different service roles and weather conditions. Feedback from staff highlighted improved comfort, ease of movement, and pride in representing the restaurant’s heritage through the uniforms. The collection strengthens the visual connection between staff, architecture, and guest experience.