A visit to McDonald's makes your day . . but not for the fashion tips

NOW I can understand why some companies synonymous with luxury and all that is aspirational bring in fashion designers to create work wear. Their people are representing the brand, they are the ambassadors and, from head to toe, they should ooze the values of the company. It's their corporate identity, after all.

So when George Street fashion house Hardy Amies – one of the Queen's favourite dressmakers – worked with British Airways back in the 70s to design uniforms for its air crew it made sense. Since then Roland Klein, Paul Costello and Julien Macdonald have all added their creative expertise to British Airways' iconic uniforms.

Virgin has done it with John Rocha, Peter Morrissey with Qantas and Delta Air Lines has teamed up with Australia's Richard Tyler. But designer to the stars Bruce Oldfield and fast-food joint McDonald's? Eh?

"One doesn't necessarily think of McDonald's and chic in the same sentence," said Bruce. "But my aim was to design a uniform that was exactly that."

The man who is famed for dressing the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sienna Miller and Diana, Princess of Wales has for the past 18 months been creating a uniform collection for the sweaty, dirty work within the burger bar.

The uniforms were unveiled last week, featuring sharp suits, kick-flare skirts and flowing scarves, all in neutral hues, and are soon to be introduced to the company's 67,000 employees throughout the UK. And they haven't come cheap.

The uniforms are reported to have cost McDonald's £2.5 million this year, and another £2.5 million every 18 months when they'll be replaced with new ones. But why? Why spend millions when there will still be aprons, baseball caps and waterproof trousers? Why go to all this hassle when tomato ketchup will still get spilt all over it and it will probably stink of burgers at the end of the shift anyway? And what was so wrong with the old uniform? I kind of liked it.

In fact, last year, when I spent a day flipping burgers, salting fries and serving customers to experience a McJob for a feature article, I felt comfortable in the cotton tops, black straight-leg trousers and baseball cap. Stylish work wear, it already was. And, at the end of the day, the hungry customers never looked at me – or my uniform – they simply wanted their grub. Fast.

You could be covered in mayo and have the pre-sliced lettuce hanging from your hair and the punters would still be none the wiser – looking at the menu board and salivating over the fries, rather than checking you out.

And, let's face it, high-end designers and a McChicken sandwich do not sit side-by-side, no matter what McDonald's may hope. What's next? Sun-dried tomato relish on my organic beef burger, served to me on a silver platter?

By George, bad move
YOU have to wonder what the team at Asda were on when they decided not to renew Coleen McLoughlin's George At Asda contract. That's Coleen, as in the fiancée of Manchester United's Wayne Rooney. Coleen, as in a weekly columnist, a paparazzi's dream and a television presenter. Coleen, as in the fresh-faced girl who appeals to millions of different women.

She made cheap supermarket clothes look surprisingly good and kind of cool, and had young girls rushing to snap up the clothes she was snapped in.

But apparently that's now not enough for Asda, who want to create "a more up-market image" for their George clothing line. Yeah, good move Asda. For that "up-market image" will sit so well with all those top-quality clothes.