Korean Air is undergoing significant changes (including a full rebranding), following its takeover of Asiana. The airline is trying to become more premium, and in particular, to appeal more to foreign guests. We’re seeing Korean Air greatly improve its lounges, reconfigure existing planes, introduce a new first class, and more.
Along those lines, the carrier has just announced a new premium collaboration, which guests traveling in the carrier’s business class (marketed as Prestige Class) should notice.
In this post:
Korean Air partners with Armani / Casa on tableware
Korean Air has just announced an upgraded tableware collection, in collaboration with Italian luxury brand Armani / Casa. As it’s described, “the partnership highlights the airline’s commitment to delivering sophistication and elegance at every touchpoint of the journey,” and the new tableware range “exemplifies contemporary elegance with timeless appeal.”
At the heart of this collaboration is the Nidi range (“Nidi” is the Italian word for “nest”), which is the suite of tableware designed by Armani / Casa for Korean Air’s business class guests:
The collection features an interplay of rectangular plates and tapered round bowls, creating visual intrigue while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic. A distinctive feature of the collection is the “bamboo” detail—a subtle linear design element which has frequently featured in Armani/Casa’s work. Bamboo is a symbol of strength, resilience and longevity since it survives in the harshest conditions, still standing tall and remaining green year-round.
Beyond aesthetics, the Nidi range is thoughtfully engineered for functionality. The compact forms optimize onboard dining spaces while ensuring efficient storage, striking the perfect balance between elegance and practicality.
I’m happy to see this product investment, but…
I’m delighted to see the direction that Korean Air is headed, as clearly the airline is investing in its passenger experience, and it’s doing so quickly. Korean Air’s old tableware was just plain boring, so this is a nice way for the airline to elevate the business class experience (hopefully along with other changes).
Korean Air is the second major airline to collaborate with Armani / Casa, as Etihad launched a similar partnership in early 2023. However, Etihad’s partnership was much more extensive, and also included new bedding from Armani Casa, while the Korean Air partnership only includes tableware.
That brings me to what kind of disappoints me — am I the only one who thinks the actual tableware that’s part of this collaboration is kind of boring? I mean, I like the bowls quite a bit, and find them to be visually interesting, but everything else looks kind of boring, no? Actually, it kind of looks like your typical airplane tableware, just with the Armani / Casa logo stamped on it.
For example, below is Etihad’s Armani / Casa tableware. Isn’t this all much prettier? Even just look at the glasses — I understand Korean Air’s little miniature wine glasses are better in terms of galley storage, but that kind of takes away from the experience. Doesn’t the “casa” in Armani / Casa stand for “home?” Hopefully no one is drinking wine at home out of airplane wine glasses! 😉
So if you ask me, some improvements are better than no improvements, but I think this Armani / Casa collaboration is a bit underwhelming compared to the Etihad one. However, everyone has different tastes, so maybe I’m in the minority.
Bottom line
Korean Air is partnering with Armani / Casa on its business class tableware, which is a cool collaboration for an airline that’s trying to become more competitive. I’m happy to see the airline incorporating more premium brands into its product, and this looks like an improvement.
However, I can’t say that I’m blown away by the Armani / Casa collection that Korean Air has selected, especially in comparison to Etihad. But maybe that’s just me…
What do you make of Korean Air collaborating with Armani / Casa?
Looks tacky
WTF? ...... "Looks tacky".....what kind of mindless comment is that? Are Korean Airlines now not making great efforts and investment to try and improve their product? This new tableware is certainly not tasteless or cheap looking.
Slow news day to have to write about tableware on a plane? Who cares.
Many people would care and I certainly do. Aesthetics is something that seperates the plebs from those who can understand and appreciate good taste and thoughtful pleasing design which is always a major consideration for airlines when developing their product.
Who remembers details of their flight meal or who remembers the flight tableware? Finnair always seem to put thought and great effort into their tableware and many other airlines are memorable for their attention to...
Many people would care and I certainly do. Aesthetics is something that seperates the plebs from those who can understand and appreciate good taste and thoughtful pleasing design which is always a major consideration for airlines when developing their product.
Who remembers details of their flight meal or who remembers the flight tableware? Finnair always seem to put thought and great effort into their tableware and many other airlines are memorable for their attention to good design with tableware, glassware, cutlery, linen etc.
Ben is quite right in covering this "slow news day" story and most readers of his blog will surely be appreciative even though it obviously doesn't matter to you if you eat from finely designed good china or just a plastic tray from McDonalds
Maybe a shrewder move wouuld be to make an offer to acquire UA's old tableware that they're about to trash !
I'm waiting for the "you don't understand Korean culture" comments. Like in Korea they only like boring tableware, and this helps the servers interact with you less.
As a Korean, my guess is that this is an attempt to match the boring western palate. The writer has previously asked for KE to cater to the westerner's needs and tastes--here you go. ;)
Joking aside, I would have much rather seen a nod to the 방짜 bronzeware. Not sure it is practical on a plane but I find it beautiful.
To Armani/Korean: Is the bamboo detail in the room with us? This is the most default looking tableware imaginable.
While I certainly understand your disappointment, quite frankly I'm much more interested in what they put ON those plates. If their new revamped menu is as delicious as they're promising, then they can use plastic disposable plates for all I care. At the end of the meal, it's the quality of their food that really counts, NOT the quality of their tableware. I'm sure their Armani tableware will be just fine for 99 percent of...
While I certainly understand your disappointment, quite frankly I'm much more interested in what they put ON those plates. If their new revamped menu is as delicious as they're promising, then they can use plastic disposable plates for all I care. At the end of the meal, it's the quality of their food that really counts, NOT the quality of their tableware. I'm sure their Armani tableware will be just fine for 99 percent of their passengers. They can have the most beautiful tableware imagineable, but if the meal itself doesn't live up to high standards, then everything else is pretty much irrelevant, isn't it?
Agreed, I'm like what about the actual food? I could care less if it's fancy flatware, if the food is dog chow.
Korean Air needs to step it up, collaborate with some local restaurants on a new menu. I don't understand it bc Korea has tons of amazing gourmet cuisine and high-end restaurants, but all they do is serve bibimbap. Even their JV partner Delta has more interesting menus, galbi, bulgogi, japchae, soybean stew, etc.
Like I've said in an earlier thread, it'd be fairly easy to replicate a Korean multi-course meal onboard. With the huge Korean diaspora in LA and NY, I'm sure they can collaborate with some local restaurants and chefs in Koreatown.
Regarding bibimbap, why not serve it in stoneware instead of a plain looking bowl? The cabin attendants can even fry up a sunny side up egg if the passenger wishes.
If you're referring to serving it in dolsot (돌솥), it is way way way too hot and heavy to be served in an environment with frequent turbulence
It doesn't have to be scorching hot, but rather serve it in the stoneware itself for a more traditional meal rather than in a plain looking bowl.
If you're already heating up casseroles in the oven, I'm sure you can heat up stoneware without much difficulty.
I think that Korean should have partnered with another fine tablewear manufacturer instead of copying Etihad. The bland white dishes and plates are in dull and uninteresting. At least Etihad have some table wear in different colours. Whoever made this decision at Korean needs to be relieved of their duties.
Off topic, but the AF new suite is out: https://x.com/SamChuiPhotos/status/1901970233872581089/video/3
Whilst I like the bamboo look I really feel like so much could have been done in terms of design. Adding a pattern and having different colours would help liven up the brand. Taking elements of the current tableware such as the leafy motifs and enhancing it with some other traditional Korean patterns, maybe a glazed pottery like design, or coloured rims or anything.
Now it looks like bland plain old Ikea. Minimalist for all...
Whilst I like the bamboo look I really feel like so much could have been done in terms of design. Adding a pattern and having different colours would help liven up the brand. Taking elements of the current tableware such as the leafy motifs and enhancing it with some other traditional Korean patterns, maybe a glazed pottery like design, or coloured rims or anything.
Now it looks like bland plain old Ikea. Minimalist for all the wrong reasons. Etihad has amazing tableware, SQ and EK have very distinctive looks too. JL and NH are boring but blend a bit of colour and put a huge emphasis on Japanese shapes.
The things KE is doing in terms of minimalism are taking away from the few things that made KE different.
Boring tableware, boring livery, Korean has always been a boring airline. I truly do not understand why some people consider them in the same breath as JAL or ANA
I think it's bc of ScamTrax, and how some people delusionaly live and breathe their payola rankngs.
According to ScamTrax, KE is a 5 star airline just like JAL and ANA.
Personally, I'm taking Delta!
I know there's a 50% chance that you're lowkey trolling, but honestly I would as well.
Delta catering actually has more interesing options than KE's, and their hard product is remarkably consistent for ICN flying, all 1-2-1 D1 Suite product, whereas you'll get a huge variance w/ KE across their 777s, A380s, 787s, etc. I believe they have up to four or five different seat type, some that don't even have direct aisle access in 2025.
Looks like pyrex. Boring.
Instant reaction to seeing the photos for me is ‘wow, what a striking / attractive blue!’. Then after a second of your brain processing what’s actually in the photo you realise that’s just the background and the most boring white set of plates you’ve ever seen is on top…
Armani is like the worst partnership any airline can do - doesn't feel special at all. It's not interesting and one is excited by it.
Clearly, being boring is the theme of this rebrand, with generic design inside and out.
Which dish is supposed to be used for the (in)famous macadamia nuts?
I've asked a KAL guy why their glass is so small and why they're so stingy about alcohols, and the answer was.. the owner family(Cho family) don't drink alcohol at all, and they don't like serving alcohol onboard!
They've had incidents with drunk passengers as well, so they basically don't want to serve alcohol but since Korea is not islamic, they just serve the minimum amount of alcohol.. And that's why their glass is...
I've asked a KAL guy why their glass is so small and why they're so stingy about alcohols, and the answer was.. the owner family(Cho family) don't drink alcohol at all, and they don't like serving alcohol onboard!
They've had incidents with drunk passengers as well, so they basically don't want to serve alcohol but since Korea is not islamic, they just serve the minimum amount of alcohol.. And that's why their glass is soooo tiny.
It's intentional when the KAL FAs don't top off your glass. The execs don't like serving alcohol.
This summarises the chaebol problem very nicely - running the company for the owners, not for the customers.
It’s the owners money, there rules to be fair
I'd argue that the airline's old Business Class tableware has more personality than this. What an embarrassing look for Armani/Casa.
Wouldn’t it have been nice for them to collaborate with a great Korean maker of porcelain or glass ? A more interesting way to promote local craftsmanship rather than a generic corporate brand .
I think they're trying to appeal to a broader international base hence the collaboration with a well known luxury brand.
"Luxury" is custom-made and otherwise unavailable on the market, not some mass-produced tat manufactured to a budget in China then stamped with a brand name and marked-up 750%.
Exactly right! Especially as they have so much homegrown design talent!
I don't see the point if they don't also revamp their menu. There are only so many ways one can dress up bibimbap.
Their menu IS being completely revamped, including both their Korean dishes and Western dishes. Google 'Korean Air menu revamp'