Air New Zealand has announced plans to overhaul its distinctive uniform which is worn by more than 4,500 cabin crew and ground staff at the Kiwi flag carrier. The current uniform, first unveiled in 2011, was designed by the renowned local designer, Dame Trelise Cooper. The massive collection of mix and match items launched with a total of 90,000 garments shared amongst the airline’s staff.
Dame Cooper will again be invited to submit a proposal for the new look along with other Kiwi fashion designers – the winning proposal is due to be picked by the end of the year, with work starting in 2019 and the uniform finally rolling out in 2021.
Interestingly, Air New Zealand says it is even considering whether a gender-neutral uniform might be more appropriate as it looks to the future.
“We see this as an exciting opportunity to take a step back and really consider where our business is heading and what our uniform might look like in the future. For example, will exclusively male or female uniforms always be relevant?” explained the airline’s global brand manager, Jodi Williams.
“We are currently undertaking significant research with our people along with a leading global cultural insights agency, which reflects that fact that we operate to 55 destinations around the world.”
Like most airlines who embark on this kind of project, Air New Zealand says it wants the uniform to be instantly recognised around the world – something the bright pink, green and blue uniforms which also feature bold motifs certainly do without fail.
And of course, the winning design will also have to be practical and make staffers feel proud to wear it. No wonder Air New Zealand is rushing the design process.
Previous big name designers for the airline’s uniform include the likes of Christian Dior and Nina Ricci. We can’t wait to see what the winning designer comes up with!
