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Australian flag carrier Qantas is working on an ‘ambitious’ new designer uniform for tens of thousands of frontline staff, including pilots, cabin crew, and gate agents, to coincide with the introduction of non-stop 17,000 km flights between Sydney and Europe.
It’s been over a decade since Qantas last unveiled a new uniform when it worked with famed Australian designer Martin Grant to create the eye-catching ruby red and fuchsia pink color-blocking threads that have been around since 2013.
The new uniform will only be the 11th iteration in the 104-year history of the airline, but chief executive Vanessa Hudson seems keen to make her mark on the carrier and signal a clear change from the Alan Joyce era.
“We have ambitious plans for the future and transforming the way we reflect the brand is critical to that,” Hudson said as the airline announced it was hunting for a new Australian designer.
“With a vast and growing international and domestic network, a historic fleet renewal program underway, and the final frontier of global aviation just around the corner, it’s time to define a new look for our people that reflects where we are heading,” Hudson continued.
Although Hudson admits that the airline’s employees have enjoyed wearing the current uniform, she said that the Qantas brand had evolved and needed updating.
If all goes to plan, Qantas plans to introduce the new uniform in 2027, at around the same time the airline introduces historic non-stop flights between Sydney and Europe.
A look back at Qantas uniforms throughout the years…
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2014 – Present
Unveiled in 2013 and introduced a year later, the current Qantas uniform was designed by Martin Grant and features ruby red and Fuschia pink color-blocking.
Despite the bold color choices, the uniform has stood the test of time and is still well-loved by many employees.
2003 – 2014
Peter Morrissey was the designer behind this iconic uniform that featured the Wirriyarra boomerang print. The color palette of the uniform was refreshed in 2008 to coincide with the introduction of the Airbus A380 superjumbo to the Qantas fleet.
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1994 – 2003
The 1990s saw Qantas take a more conservative approach to its uniform with this collaboration between George Cross and Harry Who with a deep navy blue suit and large gold buttons.
1985 – 1993
Yves Saint Laurent was behind this eye-catching uniform, which introduced a trouser option for female crew members for the first time.
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1974 – 1985
The 1970s saw the Emilio Pucci era take center stage at Qantas with this bright and bold uniform that included a floral print on the female cabin crew dress.
Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying ever since... most recently for a well known European airline. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Always keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.