The airline industry has seen massive upheaval in the past 18 months, but flight attendants are still expected to stand out from the crowd as traveling marketing for their airlines. And that’s why the flight attendant uniform continues to be so important to so many airlines.
Getting it right, however, is not always that easy. Especially with the pandemic measures, which means some cabin crew must wear surgical gowns all the time. In 2021, it’s our airline uniform picks that still manage to turn heads for all the right reasons.
New entry: This little-known low-cost airline from Ukraine made headlines in August 2021 when it unveiled a new bright orange uniform that combines a pantsuit with Nike Air Max sneakers.
SkyUp Marketing Manager Marianna Grigorash explained the radical new look, saying: “Times have changed, women have changed, so unlike conservative classics, heels, lipstick and bun, a new, more modern image and” champion ”appeared. “
The silk scarf, which is now worn on the shoulder, is a nod to tradition, but flight attendants no longer have to wear a skirt or high heels as part of the uniform more practical and more active.
New entry: This uniform is in the Top Ten in part because it might not be around for much longer. Alitalia will close on October 15 and is expected to be replaced by a new airline known as ITA.
That is unless the ITA purchases the rights to Alitalia as planned – in which case Italian fashion designer and couturier, Alitalia uniform from Alberta Ferretti will continue to fly for some time to come.
The uniform was launched in 2018, just two years after Alitalia unveiled another uniform from Italian haute couturier Ettore Bilotta. This uniform, however, was hated by the cabin crew, so Alitalia called in Ferretti with the mission of getting back to basics.
The uniform includes a wide range of wardrobe classics so staff can mix and match what they want to wear. Alitalia describes the uniform as “classic and elegant”.
New entry: JetBlue’s current uniform is now seven years old, but as the airline crosses the Atlantic, a whole new audience is starting to see jetBlue flight attendants strutting around for the very first time.
While not the newest uniform in the neighborhood, the wardrobe designed by Stan Herman of jetBlue still looks fresh. Perhaps it is the touches of orange that give the uniform a pop of color.
Hopefully jetBlue flight attendants are still happy with their sons, as it may be a long time before they get a new look. This is only the second uniform in jetBlue history and the first iteration lasted 14 years.
New entry: Another new addition to the Top Ten, but this entry is not for the standard Lufthansa uniform, which, let’s face it, is a bit lackluster.
As part of the world famous Oktoberfest celebrations in Germany, Lufthansa has a special group of Trachtencrew who dress in traditional German folk costume and work on flights as they approach the main event.
But as the pandemic upset Munich’s normal Oktoberfest event, Lufthansa has always had its Trachtencrew out and about in 2020 and 2021.
The uniforms are designed and adapted by Angermaier, a Munich specialist in traditional Bavarian clothing. The female outfit is called a dirndl, while the men, of course, wear short lederhosen.
New entry: The Finnish design is renowned the world over for its effortless chic and so is the Finnair uniform which, if you can believe it, has been around in its current form for almost 10 years.
Designed by Finnish artist Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen, the uniform was intended to merge tradition and modernity. Pohjalainen says she chose dark blue as the main color of the uniform because it evokes a sense of security. White accent colors are treated to repel dirt.
The conglomerate that owns Hainan Airlines may be in dire financial straits, but the empire’s flagship airline HNA continues to fly and the cabin crew still wear one of the most glamorous airline uniforms of all time. .
Launched in 2017 and designed by Haute Ciuriter Laurence Xu, the uniforms “combine elements of the classic and age-old Eastern aesthetic with the silhouette of a modern Western costume”.
The female uniform is built around Cheongsam – a traditional Chinese dress normally worn on formal occasions. The sleeve is cut to three quarters to denote the simplicity, modesty and the “high level of competence” of the Cabin Crew Member.
Over 1,000 blueprints and 100 clothing samples were created before Xu and his team were finally happy with the design.
This is yet another uniform designed by Ettore Bilotta that follows on from his work with Etihad Airways and Alitalia (a short-lived uniform that Alitalia workers found uncomfortable).
The uniform debuted in late 2018 and Bilotta says her inspiration came from Istanbul.
“I wanted to bring elements of traditional calligraphy and mosaics with the new interpretations of Turkish motifs, which emphasize modern lines, in scarves and ties to reflect contrast and duality,” Bilotta told About the uniform.
In 2013 Turkish Airlines almost launched another new uniform, but it turned out to be so controversial that the airline completely ditched the designs and waited for Bilotta to arrive.
New entry: This androgynous, non-sexist uniform from a little-known low-cost South Korean-based start-up is pushing up the rankings.
While South Korean airlines are known for traditionally reinforcing gender stereotypes, Aero K has shaken up the industry with its ultra-modern utility workwear with gender neutral pants, shirts and jackets.
The aesthetic design undoubtedly appeals to Aero K’s target demographic.
“Aero K’s practical uniform was created out of care and respect to perform various jobs better than age and gender,” the airline said of the designs. “In the end, this whole concern is to accomplish the most important mission of passenger safety.
This Vivienne Westwood-designed uniform has been around since 2014, but it almost became another victim of the pandemic as Virgin Atlantic struggled to stay afloat last year.
Fortunately, “the Viv,” as staff members affectionately refer to the uniform, is still a reality.
In 2019, Virgin Atlantic updated its uniform guidelines to reflect broader societal changes and allowed female crew to wear makeup for the very first time. Female crew members were also allowed to wear pants for the first time.
Originally designed in 1968 by Parisian fashion designer Pierre Balmain, the distinctive Kebaya sarong worn by Singapore Airlines flight attendants still stands out from the crowd.
The Singapore Girl is today a questionable marketing tool, but for Singapore Airlines, she represents the “symbol of Asian hospitality recognized around the world”.
The Kebaya comes in several colors which denote different ranks: the common purple color denotes a normal flight attendant while the emerald is worn by senior flight attendants and the ruby is intended for the chief flight attendant.
Indigo is worn by the manager in flight
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