Long gone are the days when casino personnel were attired in black tuxedos or dresses that were the selection of managers who thought they had the last word on elegance. Choosing a casino uniform was more of a chore than a specialized decision, and no matter how the uniform designers tried, somehow personnel did not portray the personality of the property, unless they were Bunny Girls at The Playboy Club.

"Dress is the first impression of a person who wants to communicate and express something, to leave his mark, his purpose, his story. (It is) for people who want to arouse the imagination of their environment." Thus starts the message of Pika Justinek, the Slovenian designer whose creations can be admired at some of the best casino properties in her country, and around the world. The designer says: "We all know how important our clothes are, how we want to be something special, different, better; dressed in the right colours and the right model."

At Irony, the Slovenian company on the outskirts of Ljubljana, the charming capital city of the tiny European country with the big heart, Pika, as everyone knows her, has developed a range of costumes for each occasion - and that means just that, a costume or uniform for each occasion. Pika's creations have been snapped up by casinos from Australia to Scandinavia, including Canada and America, and she will lead her team of models at the London show where they will surely bring the house down at the stand of Interblock from Slovenia, a leading electro mechanic roulette manufacturer.

We had the opportunity to visit two casino operations in Slovenia where the Pika uniforms were much in evidence. Both the Carnavale di Venezia on the Italian border and the Kongo Hotel and Casino in Grosuplje, ten miles out of Ljubljana, showed the talented imprint of the Slovenian designer. Staff at each property were attired in costumes straight from the revelry of that mischievous Italian festival, in the first instance, and the leopard spots printed on the sheer fabric that teased the imagination at the safari-style Kongo casino.

There is no better way to convey the philosophy of the designer than quoting Pika's assertion: "We design and shape our clothes in such a way that they are useful and durable, while at the same time forming a unity with the complete ambience so they bring balance to the impression that the owner of the casino wants to give." In London, casino operators from the world over will have the chance to admire the exciting creations of this Slovenian designer. (E-01.18.05)

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