After being privatized, Air India is in the process of reinventing itself. The airline is investing hugely in modernizing its fleet and improving the passenger experience. This includes ordering 470 new aircraft, introducing new cabins, retrofitting existing aircraft, and completely rebranding. The airline has now revealed the next step of its transformation, which includes new employee uniforms.
Air India’s new Manish Malhotra-designed uniforms
Air India has today unveiled new uniforms for its flight attendants and pilots, “marking the arrival of a new age of inflight couture.” The new uniforms are designed by Indian couturier Manish Malhotra, and are described as “mirroring a rare, harmonious blend of rich Indian heritage and aesthetics with 21st-century style, elegance, and comfort.” The color palette for the uniforms is comprised of deep red, burgundy, aubergine, and accents of gold.
These new uniforms will be rolled out in a phased manner over the coming months, coinciding with the introduction of Air India’s first Airbus A350.
Here’s how Air India CEO Campbell Wilson describes the new uniforms:
“Air India’s crew uniforms are amongst the world’s most storied in aviation history, and we firmly believe that Manish Malhotra’s innovative ensemble will script an exciting new chapter for Air India’s future narrative. It perfectly captures the essence of our new identity, service principles, and our pursuit of setting new benchmarks in global aviation.”
Here’s how Manish Malhotra describes the uniforms he designed for Air India:
“I am honored to have been given the opportunity to design the uniforms for Air India. It is a privilege to be able to contribute to the national flag-bearer and showcase the elegance and charm of Indian fashion. My aim was to create uniforms that capture the essence of India’s diverse culture and traditions while also embodying a modern and sophisticated look. By incorporating quintessential hues that are symbolic to India, I hope that these uniforms not only make the crew feel proud but also leave a lasting impression on the guests, representing the warmth and hospitality that India is known for.”
The female cabin crew uniform features a ready-to-wear ombré saree with intricate patterns reminiscent of Indian heritage architecture and the Vista, paired with a blouse and blazer. Female cabin crew also have the choice to wear comfortable pants, to provide more flexibility.
The ombré sarees for the senior female cabin crew will be aubergine-to-burgundy, combined with aubergine blazers, “exuding a balance of authority and sophistication.” Conversely, junior female cabin crew will wear vibrant red-to-purple ombré sarees combined with red blazers, “embodying youthfulness and energy.”
I’m really impressed by Air India’s new uniforms!
At first glance I’m a big fan of Air India’s new uniforms. The uniforms strike the perfect balance between being modern and traditional, and I appreciate that it sounds like comfort was also a major consideration, as it should be.
Now, admittedly we’re going to have to wait to see how these uniforms look in person, how they age with use, and how employees wear them. The airline exclusively chose young, slender employees for these photo shoots, so that’s not representative of the overall workforce.
Lastly, at the end of the day, the single most important thing about airline employee uniforms is that they’re comfortable, and that employees feel good wearing them. If employees have a sense of pride in their appearance and their company when wearing these uniforms, that’s the single greatest benefit that could come from this, in terms of morale and service level.
Bottom line
Air India has unveiled new employee uniforms, designed by Manish Malhotra. Air India is reinventing itself in just about every way, and now employee uniforms are getting an upgrade as well. I’m impressed by these new uniforms, and hope they look as good in person as they do in these media images.
What do you make of Air India’a new uniforms?
Membership is free and takes no more information than commenting as a guest. Earn status points for good contributions, and see fewer ads as your status grows.