Air New Zealand New Uniforms Delayed

Air NZ female cabin crew.

The announcement of the new fashion designer who will deck out our national airline has been delayed by at least a year.

Last September Jodi Williams, GM Global Brand & Content Marketing at Air New Zealand, announced that in the following month the airline would invite a selection of local designers, including the designer of the current uniforms, Dame Trelise Cooper, to submit proposals for the new uniform to be announced early this year, with final concepts to be completed by the end of 2019.

Speculation was reaching fever pitch in January. Fashion Industry expert Murray Bevan of Showroom 22 suggested designers such as Karen Walker, Maggie Marilyn, Harman Grubisa, Wynn Hamlyn, Rachel Mills and Georgia Alice could be in the running.

Perhaps the airline was waiting for New Zealand Fashion Week next month we thought?

Models show off the old styles of the Air New Zealand Uniform

But Air New Zealand has told Spy it was undertaking a review expected to influence the future look and feel of its long-haul aircraft interiors, lounges, check-in experiences and digital presence.

The uniforms are another visual representation of the brand, and the decision was made to defer the selection of a designer and launch the uniform in 2023.

So the 2011 Trelise Cooper range of bright pink, pale blue and lime green uniforms will be on show for some time to come for the nearly 4500 cabin crew.

Previous designs were by Christian Dior in 1961, Nina Ricci in 1976, Barbara Lee in 1992, and Zambesi in 2005.