Flight crew from Air NZ model various uniforms from the past and present in 2004. Photo / Getty Images)
Flight crew from Air NZ model various uniforms from the past and present in 2004. Photo / Getty Images)
Air New Zealand will soon be arriving on the runway in new-look uniforms, as the national carrier today announced its intention to redesign its appearance.
The airline will be updating the uniform for all customer-facing employees, with the colourful koru prints of Trelise Cooper’s 2011 uniform due to be retired in 2025. With attendants, pilots and ground staff due a sartorial overhaul, it represents a change for some 5000 Air New Zealand workers.
The brief is out for tender with the country’s top designers and fashion houses for the chance to redesign one of the most recognisable outfits in the skies.
Among airlines, there are two directions of travel, those that are moving towards a more informal look and those that have embraced tradition or sought to give second wind to forgotten classics. Is this the year we see the return of the flight cape?
Image 1 of 11: Dame Trelise Cooper's Air New Zealand designs. Photo / Supplied
Yes to more uniform equality, no to white trainers
Last year a number of airlines sought to break the mode with gender-neutral uniforms or fluid dress code for crew.
Virgin Atlantic made a sartorial statement by not only updating its red Vivienne Westwood-designed uniforms, but its gender identity policy too. The UK-based airline said it would be updating its dress code to allow crew to wear skirts or trousers, and have visible tattoos.
Virgin Atlantic's Vivienne Westwood-designed scarlet uniforms will now be worn by all genders. Photo / Supplied
Other airlines have relaxed uniforms further. Ukrainian carrier SkyUp Airlines grabbed attention by ditching dresses and heels for female cabin crew, opting instead for gender-neutral uniforms of orange suits and white trainers. But it’s not only SkyUp which has embraced this trend for aeronautical athleisure wear.
Korea’s Aero K and Iceland’s Play Airlines also jumped on the gender-neutral, white trainer trend.
Bonza's non-uniform uniform was unveiled last year by the new airline. Photo / Supplied, Bonza
While carriers have been praised by staff for more practical footwear, the more relaxed uniform hasn’t been universally popular. Often there’s very little differentiating cabin crew from passengers.
“The world has changed, and so have we,” was the airline’s comment on their “no rules” non-uniform. A laudable aim but woe betide passengers who chose the wrong top to wear.
While it doesn’t need to be formal flight dress, an easily identifiable look can help anxious travellers.
It’s something that Cooper’s patent purple fabric had in abundance, and new uniforms will need an X factor to mark them out.
Yes to Kiwi air ambassadors, no to tokenism
As a national airline, uniform choice comes with a lot of sartorial pitfalls and cliches.
Airlines often look to national dress, tradition or even aviation history for inspiration. Uniforms are a way airlines can bring a bit of the home country with them.
From Emirates’ cream headscarves and red felt hats to the optical assault on the senses of Loganair’s tartan uniforms, this is done with varying degrees of success.
Some airlines choose a look to change nothing at all. Singapore Airlines’ sarong kebaya has been unchanged since the 1970s, when Pierre Balmain made their instantly recognisable uniform.
In a highly visible position, seen in airports and airspace around the world, the crew of a flag carrier airline are also flying ambassadors. The current Air NZ uniforms are full of nods to Kiwiana, from the obvious koru swirls to the hidden details such as the “blow on pie” lining of men’s uniform waistcoats.
It is an eclectic grab bag of hokey pokey New Zealand. However, when the token tiki details were added in 2011, cabin crew were banned from having visible tā moko or wearing oversized pounamu jewellery.
“A little bit of sparkle is good, a lot is a distraction,” read the advice in the 2010 manual on personal grooming.
'Always blow on the pie': Air New Zealand's grab bag fabric was more hokey than pokey. Photo / Supplied
This was corrected in 2019 when the company relaxed its rules on crew tattoos.
Air New Zealand said that part of this uniform update would be “revising our grooming standards”.
With other airlines such as Virgin Atlantic removing requirements for crew makeup or a clean-shaven appearance, this is a signal Air NZ is preparing to follow suit.
Hawaiian Airlines' flight cape made a comeback in 2016. Photo / Hawaiian Airlines
No, just no, to the flight cape
Since the PANAM design of the 1960s airlines have been trying and failing to revive the flight cape. Even Air New Zealand had its own version in 1973, designed by Vinka Lucas.
In 2016 Hawaiian Airlines was among the latest to introduce a retro, pink shoulder shawl with hibiscus lining. It did not fly.
Like a cross between a Lord of the Rings Extra and an upturned umbrella, it’s a look we can all agree is better forgotten.
