Apple Retail Employees Outfitted With New Shirts Ahead of Apple Watch Launch

[MacRumors]

Apple's retail employees were today given newly redesigned shirts that will be worn during the Apple Watch launch, MacRumors has learned. The shirts are a dark shade of navy blue, much darker in color than the existing brighter blue shirts employees wear now. Employees have been given two T-shirts each and have been instructed to wear the shirts beginning on April 10. Apple also typically distributes polo shirts and T-shirts with longer sleeves, but employees have not yet received these.

The new shirts Apple employees are receiving for the Apple Watch mark the second wardrobe change that's been enacted this year. In January, Apple distributed redesigned T-shirts and polo shirts all in a dark shade of blue, with an Apple logo located at the top left of the shirt, over the heart.

Apple's head of retail Angela Ahrendts was rumored to be behind the first style change, and she's likely handling the new look for employees during the Apple Watch as well, using her expertise as Burberry's former CEO to find a uniform look that's suitable for employees handling every day sales and those dedicated to serving high-end retail customers as Apple prepares to start selling its first luxury item, the gold Apple Watch Edition.

Along with new shirts, the launch of the Apple Watch has brought many changes for retail employees. Employees are undergoing rigorous training in order to get ready to sell the Apple Watch, which is being positioned as a fashion item. As we've learned from leaked training materials, employees are learning how to interact with customers in all new ways, evaluating customer style and preference to make product recommendations.

Training is still ongoing, and as of this week, employees have been learning what store-front displays will look like and they've begun to receive word on which stores will be carrying the gold Apple Watch Edition. It appears that only a limited number of flagship stores will have the higher-end device available for sale, and safes are being installed in some of these stores this week. In the United Kingdom, for example, only the Covent Garden and Regent Street Apple Stores are said to be selling the Apple Watch Edition, along with the dedicated shop in Selfridges department store in London.

Employees are also beginning to receive details on how reservations and try-on appointments will be handled (try-on appointments will be worked into the Mac queue), and they are preparing for a major overnight revamp of stores, which will include the installation of Apple Watch try-on tables and display stations.

The Apple Watch will go on sale online this Friday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time. It will be available in all first-wave launch countries simultaneously, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Article Link: Apple Retail Employees Outfitted With New Shirts Ahead of Apple Watch Launch

 

[JCrz]

Looks awfully thin. I bet it will bend very easily.

 

[thekeyring]

Probably going to go to the Apple Store and check out the Watch once the stores are transformed.

I've got a genius appointment on Tuesday, and if they take my iPhone away for repair, then maybe I'll have a legitimate excuse for visiting the store after the 10th.

 

[ttss6]

I'm not sure about this. I like how they wear brighter colors so they are easier to see. This is helpful in the local Apple Store which is usually pretty crowded.

 

[tuslaw12]

I can see the headlines later today "Samsung gives employees new shirts that are thinner, have an extra arm hole, and are slightly water resistant." I'm calling it now

 

[MH01]

Was expecting a collar

 

[Asuriyan]

Looks awfully thin. I bet it will bend very easily.

I certainly hope so. Making them wear platemail to work seems unconscionable.

 

[metfuel]

And how do we get our hands on one?
(Besides the obvious, getting a job there)

 

[verniesgarden]

And how do we get our hands on one?
(Besides the obvious, getting a job there)

knowing someone that has a job there?

 

[2457282]

So an old timer at Apple should now have about four different shirts. One more and they can wear a different one each day of the week (assuming they work close to full-time). Should mean less washing so they can claim these shirts are "greener."

 

[CoMoMacUser]

That's all they'll be wearing? No pants?

 

[rekhyt]

Was expecting a collar

Not a turtleneck?

 

[Wiesenlooser]

Joking aside I would actually wear this.

 

[SixtyK]

And how do we get our hands on one?
(Besides the obvious, getting a job there)

Sometimes they end up on Ebay after the fact. That's how I got my Apple hockey jersey from the OS X launch in Canada.

 

[spectrumfox]

I thought the reason Apple made their shirts bright blue in the first place was to make the employees easier to find in a store of crowded people.

Lots of people wear black. This is going to potentially make the employees harder to find.

 

[gavroche]

Was expecting a collar

The ones that handle the appointments for the $10,000 models have the collared shirts

Edit: And tasers

 

[Rogifan]

Maybe because people were complaining that the lighter shade of blue shirts reminded them of Best Buy employees?

 

[laurim]

Surprised they aren't black shirts. Most of my clients are in the high-end salon hair products and almost all of them wear black. Black (dark) clothing is the typical style for high end fashion stores so I guess Apple is splitting the difference with friendly t-shirts/polos in the intimidating fashion color.

 

[mdelvecchio]

I'm not sure about this. I like how they wear brighter colors so they are easier to see. This is helpful in the local Apple Store which is usually pretty crowded.

i too am very concerned. it is surely a sign that apple is going downhill. very troubling.

/s

 

[cmichaelb]

So they aren't going to come in Space Grey, Silver(Stainless Steel), and Gold?

 

[bushido]

Was expecting a collar

And no v neck either

 

[SteveJobs2.0]

Change for the sake of change. Shows that's Angela is just tossing out various changes hoping that something makes a difference.

 

[Toltepeceno]

I have a hard time seeing it as a fashion item, but others may. The only way to promote the gold 10000.00 watch would be a fashion item I guess, but something like this I see it more as a function item with the gold being "extra" for those with money to stand apart. People who buy watches as a fashion item normally buy much more expensive timepieces.

I'm not bad mouthing the watch, I'm just saying it is a function item. A swatch provides function, but gold plating it still wouldn't make it a fashion item.

Along with new shirts, the launch of the Apple Watch has brought many changes for retail employees. Employees are undergoing rigorous training in order to get ready to sell the Apple Watch, which is being positioned as a fashion item.

 

[BeyondtheTech]

No crown? It's all about the crown on the Apple Watch.

 

[Mac21ND]

I worked at Apple retail, circa 2001-2003. Black shirts were very common then. Biggest problem was that black tends to: 1) fade as it's washed 2) show lots of hair and dust (if you have a cat or dog, you're screwed). They also used to be in more of a stretch material, not just a cotton t-shirt.