Airline Uniform

AIRLINES UNIFORM A CONCEPTUAL CLOTHING In this age of modern globalisation, each and every part of the world is officious of selling and promoting themselves for a better recognition and pleasant livelihood. The prime objective is now to look well so that one can sell well. Regarding this context, what could be a better example than “airlines uniforms”. People flying across the globe, busy in their world of business got to spend a definite time in their air travel. It is a great opportunity for all the countries running air services to make the people take a glance at their culture, heritage as well as hospitality. The aircraft, airline cabinet and the whole cabin crew play an efficient role in representing one’s country and its national image.

Today, all around the world thousands of airlines are running but it is just a few which makes a remark on our mind and create an unforgettable impression. In this research, a brief glance has been taken at the uniforms of some of the leading airlines which make them better from the rest. Also the concepts and branding along with the effects of this clothing has been discussed and summarised. INTRODUCTION A uniform is as vital to a corporate identity as a logo or business card. It is a critical marketing tool that has the capacity to differentiate an organization in a complex and highly populated marketplace. When talking about the uniforms of airlines, most of the world’s most profitable airline brands are those that pay close attention to appearance and to making sure their staff consistently look and feel great. Poorly fitting, poorly maintained or just plain ugly uniforms can linger in the mind of the passenger and accentuate the negative aspects of the trip instead of reinforce the positives. Now a days, an expense of millions is spend on hiring appropriate designers to get the desired look which completely justifies the image of the brand and it’s nation. Some of the most successful airline brands has been studied in this research, with an objective to: ? ? ? ? understand the requirements uniform designing, know the link between logo, branding and its association with uniforms, interpret its cultural as well as psychological impacts, and Infer the role of designers in creating uniforms. A uniform is far more than simply clothing worn at work, it conveys a corporate image. It has symbolic value both for the people who wear it and for the Air lines passengers who identify it immediately.

Each airline has different styles of uniform that makes their own company unique. Most uniforms have a variety of options: different jacket styles (double or single breasted), pants, skirts, short or long sleeved shirts and blouses, dress, ties, scarves, and other accessories.

Within these options, Flight Attendants are free to select what fits and looks best. It could be noticed that some airlines have different uniforms to change into for different timing; one for walking through the terminal, one for boarding and deplaning, and one for serving. In addition to its unifying function, however, the uniform structures the relationship between Air line and its customers, the central focus of the Company’s corporate strategy. The personnel who wear the uniform are the vectors of this relationship as they are in direct contact with the clientele. FIRST AIRLINE UNIFORM The first stewardess uniforms were designed to be durable, practical, and inspire confidence in travellers. The first stewardesses for United Airlines wore green berets, green capes and nurse’s shoes. Other airlines, such as Eastern Air Lines, actually dressed stewardesses in nurses’ uniforms. Perhaps reflecting the military aviation background of many commercial aviation pioneers, many early uniforms had a strongly military appearance; hats, jackets, and skirts showed simple straight lines and military details like epaulettes and brass buttons.

Many uniforms had a summer and winter version, differentiated by colours and fabrics appropriate to the season: navy blue for winter, for example, khaki for summer. But as the role of women in the air grew, and airline companies began to realise the publicity value of their stewardesses, more feminine lines and colours began to appear in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Some airlines began to commission designs from high-end department stores and still others called in noted designers or even milliners to create distinctive and attractive apparel. UNIFORMS FROM PAST TILL PRESENT The changes which kept on happening under various circumstances and conditions have been discussed by using an example of Korean Airlines. 2005- present The latest uniform is a creation of Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre. Its skirts and pants are designed with consideration of flight attendants’ active cabin duties. During the development of this attire, the largest emphasis was placed on attaining harmony between modern global fashion appeal with a foundation of Korea’s traditional and inherent beauty. While elegant and refined, the uniform is also comfortable, distinguished by its ergonomic design and the use of practical and supple fabrics. 1991-2004 It boasted a classic look that remained current in fashion through the years while simultaneously reflecting traditional Korean beauty. In particular, the ribbon scarf sporting the Taegeuk pattern received world-wide recognition, and was considered a key icon symbolizing Korean Air. 1986-1990 This uniform represented the first version to be created by a foreign designer, an American, Joyce Dixon. The commission was to develop a creation with the upcoming Asian Games and Olympic Games. The striped dress, accented by a red and blue motif belt, captured a traditional sense of beauty while providing comfort and ease in performing cabin duties. 980-1985 1980 marked the introduction of the Taegeuk patterned logo that is intrinsic to Korean Air in the uniform with the main colors used being red, blue, and white.

The core elements included a jumper skirt and white blouse featuring the Korean Air logo print. The small red kerchief on the left breast of the jacket was noted for its splash of color. 1978-79 When focusing on developing Middle Eastern market, the uniform maintained its conservative look with a dark blue jacket and skirt. However, the wavy blouse in red and dark blue was recognized for sensational design of Korean Air uniform. 976-77 This demure and tidy uniform represents the sixth design. The jacket and skirt, as well as hat, were all of the same color, and a white blouse and scarf were added as accents to break up the monochromatic look. In addition, this marked the last time hats were included as part of the uniform. 1974-75 The uniform worn when our wings launched its first flight to Paris in Europe in 1975 consisted of a deep-blue woolen jacket and a one-pleat skirt.

The white blouse with red swan pattern used in the Korean Air logo at that time was accentuated by the scarf with a mixed pattern in white, red, light green and dark blue. 973 A naturally contoured hat and sky blue outfit accentuated the splendor of this uniform. A scarf was added to accentuate the airline’s image and was received with favorable reviews. 1972 This uniform was worn when Korean Air launched its first flight to America in Korea back in 1972. It includes a jacket in dark blue with three gold buttons, an A-shape pleatless skirt in the same color and a hat. The white blouse was designed with either a high neckline or a round one. 1969 Designer Ok Song created the inaugural flight attendant uniforms for Korean Air . Highlighted by a beige top and crimson skirt, the uniform caused a popular splash due to the bright colored skirt, thus beginning a new fashion trend with other companies’ uniforms. After observing the changes done in the uniforms, it could be inferred that uniforms keeps on changing as per the current happenings and situations. It not only reflects the cultural values of the country but also the massive events that take place within that period. REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIFORM DESIGNING One of the most basic requirement for designing airline uniforms is to understand the policies of the airline. Designing uniform requires a lot of knowledge to be learned about the history, brand, logo and the services provided by the company. Also keen observation is essential to better understand the working of the end users. Famous designer Christian Lacroix designed the uniforms for Airfrance.

Details of this designing has been discussed below. After 17 years with no major changes, Air France decided in December 2002 to entrust a huge project to one of the greats in French fashion,Christian Lacroix.

His mission was to raw on his trademark elegance to translate the spirit of the French flag-carrier into a collection the Company’s personnel would be proud to wear and one that would embody Air France’s ambition in terms of customer service. Christian Lacroix wanted to go beyond designing a uniform to create an entire wardrobe: some one hundred individual items that can be combined in a multitude of ways, allowing each person to develop a distinctive wardrobe to suit his or her personality, morphology, culture and profession. This is essential because it is the men and women who wear the uniform who are in direct contact with Air France customers. For the first time in the history of the Company, men’s and women’s uniforms have been designed at the same time, creating a real homogeneity in style. It is also a break from tradition to have a complete collection created from start to finish by the same designer: gloves, pumps, bob hats, coats and dresses all come from Christian Lacroix, creating a coherence rarely found before. Three basic tenets underlie the collection: the style had to express the identity of Air France, go beyond passing fashion and combine the functional with the pleasurable. The result is a uniform that allies elegant Parisian chic with a touch of originality, a wardrobe that is both discreet and refined.

Variations on the classic “Air France” colours enabled a clear visual identity while remaining in step with today’s tastes. The basic colour remains dark navy blue, the colour of Air France for over 70 years, lending a sense of precision and professionalism. Blue-grey adds a touch of softness and femininity, and is perfectly in line with the Air France brand universe, so inextricably linked with the sky. Red appears as a highlight only, to express dynamic vitality. Print fabrics give the distinctive Christian Lacroix stamp to the collection. With these shades, Air France moves beyond the traditional “red, white and blue” codes that lent a certain formality to earlier uniforms. As per Christian, “The “uniform” is a circumscribed universe but this collection, with the multiple choices and combinations possible, offers great scope for personal expression.

The challenge was to design a harmonious collection for 11,000 men and 25,000 women with great morphological differences (women’s uniforms range from European size 32 to 48), of ages running from 20 to 60, working in emperate, hot and cold climate. The styles are fitted; visually underscoring the waist and shoulders in this way inspires confidence and conveys a sense of precision, seriousness and professionalism. KEEN OBSERVATION The first thing he asked was to discover first-hand the universe of the men and women of Air France who wear a uniform in their daily work. To go behind the scenes at Air France and observe in person as many professions and people as possible, Christian Lacroix and his teams visited Orly and the Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub to acquaint themselves with the work of ground staff, and accompanied rews on both domestic and long-haul flights. In the process, they had the opportunity to learn much directly from the staff, collecting information also about the needs and expectations of each one and trying to understand the constraints put upon them by the work they do, their rhythms of standing and sitting and obviously, climatic conditions. From his observations in the field, Christian Lacroix began to develop original concepts, like the multi-pocket jacket for ramp staff that enables them easily to move around with their working gear. The cut of the clothes was also defined during this phrase, with “bottom” garments – skirts and trousers – designed with a somewhat low waist to give ease of movement while remaining elegant; waists can be adjusted without elastic, reconciling comfort and elegance. The house of Christian Lacroix dedicated a complete team to the project; for 6 months they developed prototypes for the collection.

Their objective was, in a very short time, to create a complete range of 46 prototypes. COLOUR IMPACT The colour of the uniform speaks a lot to the travellers and surely makes a great impact. In the case of Airfrance, Navy blue remains the basic colour, because it is indissociable from the history of Air France but also because it lends a sense of authority which is indispensable in a uniform. Blue-grey evokes the sky and is particularly appropriate here as it flatters all skin tones and hair colours. Red appears only in touches (gloves, belt) on basic uniforms. Because it is highly visible, it is also the colour chosen for the accessories worn by hostesses in airport lounges, making them easily identifiable in the crowded visual universe of the airport. FABRICS To ensure long-lasting wear and good condition, Air France has chosen a yarn-dyed fabric that avoids all risk of differences in shade due to successive colour baths. This will make it possible to replace just one part of a suit, for example, such as the trousers or skirt which show wear more quickly.

The use of the same colours and fabrics also reinforces the visual homogeneity of the Air France crews and staff. Great attention to the choice of materials used is essential for long wear. In this case, it was important for the uniform to continue to look impeccable even after 12 hours in flight. For this reason, the fabrics are virtually wrinkle-proof.

They are nonetheless noble, natural materials. Knits are wool and acrylic blends, for easy upkeep. Coats are 100% combed wool that feels soft and hangs well, much like cashmere. Shirts and blouses worn next to the skin are 100% cotton. LOGO, BRANDING AND UNIFORMS While designing the uniforms for an airline it has to be always kept in mind that it gels up well with the brand logo as well as with the livery of the aircraft. It is true of all industries; strong brands and strong revenue performance go hand-in-hand. And for once, the airline industry doesn’t stand alone – there is clear evidence showing that those airlines with strong brands are among the most profitable. To associate logo with the uniforms is quite a big task.

The mission of a logo is to portray the values and goals of one’s company and also to reflect professionalism and growth of the brand. It could be explained and understood better when discussed with an example. The logo of JET AIRWAYS comprises of dark blue and golden yellow accented colour scheme with a symbol of flying sun. It represents strong values and provides consumers with instant and powerful brand recognition. To match the brand image, Italian designer, Roberto Capucci, was hired and asked to design the uniforms for the whole crew staff. The designer studied the logo and its purpose carefully before designing with the uniforms. Not only has it to be associated with the logo but should also represent the culture and rich heritage of India. So, he used two effective colours from the logo i. e. blue and yellow to suit these designs. He gave yellow accent to women and dark navy shade to men. Blue represents the sky connoting optimism and calmness whereas the shining yellow represents the freshness of bright sun and also the culture of India which is vivid and intense. CULTURAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INFLUENCE The airline uniforms speak a lot about the cultural values of the related place as well as they even create a psychological impact on the customer’s mind.

Many of the airlines use blue colour in their uniforms as it could be directly link to the sky and its pinnacle. Also, a hint of bright colours are accentuated in the uniforms such as vibrant yellow or red as they work as highlighters. As said by Nilofar Charna, cabin crew manager of Kingfisher airlines, “we have used red colours in our uniforms so that our staff could be easily visible and recognised even in the crowded areas. Also it gets set in the mind of our consumers as it is a very striking colour”. The effect of culture could be best explained with the example of Singapore airlines. Sarong kebaya is the uniform of the Singapore Airline stewardess, otherwise known as Singapore girl. The uniform was designed by Pierre Balmain, a renowed French couturier in 1972, and is an inspiration from the traditional Malay evening dress. A Kebaya is a traditional blouse worn by women in South East Asia, mainly Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. The material is normally made of sheer material and worn with a batik or sarong.

The Singapore Girl has become a visual trademark and brand for Singapore Airlines together with the slogan – “A Great Way To Fly”. The Singapore Girl is said to engender “Asian values and hospitality” and has been described as “caring, warm, gentle, elegant and serene”.

Cite this page