Qantas takes flight with uniform redesign

Australian airline Qantas is taking flight with a major uniform redesign for the first time in over a decade.

The announcement comes as the carrier ramps up its fleet renewal program, ongoing customer investments and preparations for the launch of "Project sunrise", a campaign to deliver aircrafts capable of ultra long-haul flying. 

The airline is redesigning its iconic uniform by searching for a new Australian designer to take on the task.

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It will also engage several Australian designers to review the requirements and undertake a selection process for what will become the eleventh uniform in its history. 

Additionally, Qantas will begin surveying its uniformed workforce of more than 17,500 team members to assist in developing the new uniform. 

The next uniform designer will be announced in the coming months, with Qantas planning to debut the new design in 2027.

The new look will form part of the Qantas' major fleet investments in the coming years, with more than 100 aircraft on order across the Qantas Group over the next decade and investments being made in the current fleet.  

Past designers of the uniform include Peter Morrissey, Yves Saint Laurent, George Gross and Harry Who, and Emilio Pucci, who have reflected key moments in the airline's 105-year history.  

Vanessa Hudson, chief executive officer at Qantas Group said the redesign was the start of a new era for the airline and its people. 

“We have ambitious plans for the future and transforming the way we reflect the brand is critical to that. Our uniform represents the Qantas spirit all over the world. 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," she said. 

Hudson added, "Since our beginnings, the way we represent the brand has evolved significantly. While the uniform style may have changed, what hasn’t changed is the pride our people have in wearing it, which is why we are putting them at the core of the design process." 

Hudson also thanked Martin Grant, who created Qantas' current design in 2013, for his partnership over the last decade. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Qantas for more information. 

Qantas isn't the only airline to have revamped their look in recent times. Brands have been making more active and intentional attempts at being inclusive because the social sentiment of today's generation stands with inclusivity in action, making it lucrative for brands to be inclusive. With consumer needs and sentiments constantly evolving, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to designing for inclusivity, and neither is there an absolute benchmark for success in the space. 

In January 2023, British Airways unveiled a new look for its uniform, making it the first change in the airline’s uniform in nearly 20 years. The new look included a tunic and a hijab option, making the revamped uniform inclusive for the global carrier's employees. Created by British-Ghanaian fashion designer, Ozwald Boateng, the final collection was a product of a five-year long project that was further delayed due to the pandemic. 

Last year, AirAsia also took a laud worthy stance adding a new nursing cover to its signature uniforms for pilots and cabin crew. The cover is part of a 'Moms-on-Duty' kit that the airlines will be providing to new mothers in operation starting this year. The 'Moms-on-Duty' kit also includes a handbook that provides working mothers with guidelines on items such as how to inform their co-workers when they require time and privacy to pump breast milk. 

In addition, the guide includes references on how to seek in-house support on health and nutritional matters. An AirAsia baby romper is also included in the kit as a gift to the newborns. 

In 2023, Malaysia Airlines announced plans to revamp the sarong kebaya uniform worn by its cabin crew induced chatter online, with netizens showing an overwhelming amount of supporting the current uniform. According to media reports, the airline’s operators sent out a survey to its Enrich members gathering opinions on moving away from the kebaya to adding a “modest twist to the iconic kebaya”. Additionally, the survey also asked if female cabin crews should be given an option of donning a hijab on both international and domestic flights.

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