Italian designer Ettore Bilotta has commissioned the uniforms of Turkish Airlines
25,000 cabin crew employees Turkey Airlines They shine since last September new uniforms red and anthracite grey, which have been tested on long-range flights and in different climates to suit the needs of flight attendants.
This new clothing is not only intended for cabin crew, but also for pilots, ground staff and even chefs, agents of an equation whose result was always far from the world of fashion, until now.
Chairman of the Board and Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines, M. İlker Aycı states that “ the elegance and comfort of our cabin crew, which constitutes one of the most important elements in the unsurpassed quality of our services, are factors of vital importance for our brand”.
And to give it as much glamor as possible, they have counted on Italian haute couture designer, Ettore Bilotta, who has been in charge of designing the new uniforms, specially sewn by Vakko and whose fabrics have been produced by Altınyıldız based on compliance with Turkish Airlines flight regulations.
Turkish Airlines crew in their new uniforms
With the costume change, Turkish Airlines leads the trend to include a growing range of shapes, sizes and styles, as airlines around the world, like Virgin and others, modify how stewardesses dress (the prescribed suit for men is generally more uniform looking and much less lipstick red).
Precisely Virgin Atlantic , also in red with their spectacular uniforms designed by Vivienne Westwood and their characteristic tie-waist jackets, now allows assistants to wear pants and go without makeup (until a while ago wearing red lipstick was mandatory on the airline) .
The commitment of Iberia to highlight its renewed and current image is exemplified by numerous changes, but one of the most visible are the new uniforms created by Teresa Helbig , which underlines her commitment to Spanish fashion and talent.
“This uniform, which will be worn by 6,500 employees, symbolizes, in part, the beginning of a stage in Iberia towards excellence. For this important change, we are once again betting on Spanish design and the good work of Teresa Helbig, which we hope our employees will like”.
are words of Louis Gallego , president of the airline, who applauds Helbig's proposal when it comes to creating a very current, serene, formal wardrobe that combines the pragmatism necessary for everyday garments: washable fabrics, durable over time, comfortable, wrinkle-free.
Hello 21st century. Throughout the company's 90 years of existence, its uniforms have been a great international showcase for Spanish designers such as Pedro Rodríguez, Manuel Pertegaz, Elio Berhanyer, Alfredo Caral or Adolfo Domínguez. Five big names in couture now joined for the first time by a designer, Teresa Helbig.
Teresa Helbig's designs for Iberia
Airline uniforms have shadowed women's fashion trends with that military whiff for much of the 20th century, a regret that grew even deeper after the Second World War.
But the 60s and 70s came and with them the color returned, the miniskirts and even – oh my God – the pants on the flight attendants. It was the most flourishing time regarding color and form, leaving aside the suits of jacket and militarized structure to give way to the great air adventure in fashion, which in those years was led by Emilio Pucci.
Nowadays, and as a fundamental Public Relations tool, there are not a few airlines that use their crew's uniforms to express their cultural identity.
One of the best examples is airnewzealand, for which the designer 'kiwi' Dame Trelise created botanical prints that reference native plants from New Zealand in bright green or purple fabrics for attendees' dresses and blouses. The airline is already working to present its new uniforms in 2021 , where they will surely reflect the cultural influence of New Zealand.
The same goes for uniforms. Singapore Airlines; colorful, cheerful and tremendously identifiable, the crews of the flag carrier airline of Singapore are known, and recognized for dressing the sarong kebaya, a traditional attire worn by women in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere. The uniform was first released in 1972 and has remained more or less the same ever since. Quite an example of the famous saying "If it is not broke, do not fix it".
Iberia bets on Spanish talent
The current airline uniform air France , designed by Christian Lacroix , takes us back to the year 2005. The history of this uniform begins when Air France teams contacted the designer in 2002, to which they joined three more years of joint work until obtaining the perfect sketch (and several product tests by the cabin crew) .
The Air France uniform is very Air France; timeless and elegant. Of it, Christian Lacroix himself declared: "The Air France crew will be able to recognize themselves among the crowd of any airport in the world, not only by their colors, but by its impressive combination of style and elegance”.
With a very Parisian approach, Lacroix makes the dress the soul of women's clothing, enhanced by a silk scarf around the neck and a cherry belt tied at the waist, all accompanied by leather gloves.
He invents the crossed skirt, the American jacket and the frock coat. The materials are also meticulously chosen for their durability and adherence: wool, acrylic fiber and cotton , as well as leather for shoes.
The uniforms presented by Lacroix in 2005
That Vueling being a low cost airline does not mean that its image cannot be sophisticated. with a project of “transversal and inclusive” design, According to the words of his press office, the airline debuted its elegant uniforms in 2015, after many of its ground and flight personnel participated in the project.
Praised by its own workers (over 75% seconded its design) and regarded as one of the most elegant uniforms that cross the skies, it is the subtlety of its shapes and above all that beautiful gray coat that accompanies it, the most valued part of the Vueling uniform.
The flight crew uniform Finnair has closed a circle of the most recent creations of the designer Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen , who was chosen to relaunch the look of the airline in 2011.
Less is more
Made in Finland, here the thing that less is more is fulfilled to the letter with classic uniforms designed with a healthy dose of nostalgia.
Finnair has grown from dressing six flight attendants in 1947 to more than 2,000 today, who **can choose from several options (skirt, pants, dress…)** to show an individual look, while the overall look is keeps homogeneous.
And, a detail: the cap is back again. In Finland they do know.
Designer Ritva-Liisa Pohjalainen signs Finnair uniform