Latest news with #Wickstead
Vogue
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Emilia Wickstead Resort 2026 Collection
Emilia Wickstead's pre-fall lookbook opens with a model who has an unusually confrontational expression on her face: her slicked-back hair and buttoned-up coat dress treads the line between the ladylike and the tomboyish as her mouth opens to speak—or possibly even give you a harsh dressing down. 'I like to think that my muse is standing up for herself this season,' Wickstead explained. 'She's a bit more rebellious and loud.' Wickstead's jumping-off point for the collection was Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, a perennial source of inspiration for designers of all stripes thanks to the sumptuous '50s glamour of Edith Head's designs for Kim Novak's lead character. (Or is that two characters?) Yet where Vertigo tells a tale of 'how a man becomes obsessed with a woman, and the way that she looks and dresses, and then wanting to transform another woman into her,' as Wickstead succinctly puts it, the designer's take on that premise came with a few more layers of meaning. First, she points out her fixation on the transformative power of dressing, to which most fashion designers can probably relate; and second, her interest in turning the tables, so that her version of Novak as Judy is altogether more defiant. 'She's loud in her expressions, and how she speaks, but also loud in how she dresses,' Wickstead added, noting that she deliberately went for an arresting backdrop of primary colors against which to show the clothes. Wickstead has a clever ability to take colors and prints that could, in less experienced hands, feel a little too loud (especially for her client base of professional women across the business world and the arts) and rework them into something immediate and wearable. There were plenty of her signature chintzy floral day dresses in the mix, yet many of the collection's loveliest looks involved smartly-styled separates, such as the collar of a blue button-down peeking over an oatmeal cable knit paired with a check skirt, or an oversized dark green coat atop a fuzzy V-neck sweater. That's not to say there weren't a number of killer evening gowns too, some leaning more opulent than usual for Wickstead. A particular standout was a dazzling gold metallic jacquard floor-sweeper with an impeccably-cut hourglass waist, trimmed with beaded swag sleeves across the shoulder. 'Even with those more glamorous pieces—I don't love using the word glamorous, to be honest—I wanted to play a lot with distortion and movement,' Wickstead noted. A few stranger and more perverse styling details brought it all back to that initial source of inspiration, as well as the darker underbelly of Vertigo. Most fascinating were pieces made from layered organza with polka dots, which appeared to eerily warp and distort as the different pieces of fabric moved across each other. 'I think it's about duality, illusion, obsession, transformation—those are the key words,' Wickstead said. There's always more to her clothes than first meets the eye.
Condé Nast Traveler
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Condé Nast Traveler
Where to Go in Auckland, According to New Zealand Fashion Designer Emilia Wickstead
'New Zealand is really the heart of my story,' says Emilia Wickstead. 'There is such a strong relationship between nature and craftsmanship, and whenever I go back, it really grounds me.' The Kiwi designer lives in London but returns with her husband and children each year to visit the places that she has loved since her childhood in Auckland. Wickstead's classic silhouettes have global fans like Kate Middleton and Gwyneth Paltrow, but next year she'll debut her most personal collection yet: clothing for the crew of Air New Zealand. 'This is more than a creative project,' she says. 'It is about celebrating the cultural tapestry, sacred landscapes, and people who embody the spirit of Aotearoa.' While her love of the country's green forests and blue horizons informed the entire collection, she partnered with renowned Māori artist Te Rangitu Netana for five patterns; the pair studied endemic flora like kōwhai, which holds symbolism in Māori culture. Below, Wickstead's favorite places around her hometown and beyond, including some natural escapes whose influence can be felt in her designs. David Matheson What is the neighborhood to visit in Auckland? For me it has to be Parnell. When I was a kid, my mother had an atelier and studio inside the Axis building, which is one of the coolest buildings in Auckland. There are the rose gardens nearby, where I would spend hours as a teenager. Tiny St. Stephen's Chapel is on top of a hill, where I would dream about getting married. Rosie is still my favorite café in town. I go for tea and chocolaty Afghan biscuits. Even today it's where I meet everyone for breakfast. The Aukland War Memorial Museum (Māori: Tāmaki Paenga Hira) Mark Smith What are the must-stay hotels in Auckland? On Auckland's Waiheke Island my family gets the Owners Cottage at the Boatshed, which has a swimming pool and is right across from Oneroa Beach. Huka Lodge in Taupō is really special, and Black Barn, over in Hawke's Bay, is the perfect countryside getaway. Which beaches are not to miss in Auckland? The beauty of a New Zealand beach is finding an empty spot along the long shorelines. Piha, which is outside Auckland and has black sand, is wild and real. My best friend as a kid had a house there, and we would bring our sleeping bags out and sleep under the stars. It is so laid-back and very Kiwi. There are lots of surfers and surf lifeguards. No lounges or restaurants, just a corner store. The sunsets are also spectacular. In the city my favorite is Herne Bay Beach, which is small and found at the end of a street with beautiful homes. The beach is shaded by big trees and no one really knows about it. Once, I landed at the airport and drove straight there. Stolk/Getty Images What's the best day trip from Auckland? We head just up the coast to Leigh or Matakana. At Leigh we'll hop between Pākiri and Otari beaches with a cooler and umbrella and set up for the day. Matakana has the most gorgeous bakery called Ringawera Baker, which does incredible quiches, breads, and croissant sandwiches. It also has a solid surf shop and farmers market. Where can travelers get their culture fix in Auckland? The Domain and the Auckland War Memorial Museum are amazing. The Domain is a park that feels a bit like London's Hyde Park; it's wonderful for kids. In the middle is the memorial and museum, as well as a whare rūnanga, or Māori meeting house. The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki does an excellent job of bridging Māori heritage and New Zealand art.' Mark Meredith What under-the-radar town can we escape to near Auckland? Napier, in the wonderfully green Hawke's Bay region, is a place more people should know about. It's on the coast and has stunning Art Deco architecture and wineries nearby. It feels like it is from another time. It's a hidden treasure that I love to walk around in. Where should visitors grab a bite in Auckland? I love to sit at the bar in Amano in central Auckland. It's fast, easy, and you can watch the open kitchen at work. Daphnes in Ponsonby does good Mediterranean food, with shared plates and a cool design. The owners, Clare and Joost, used to own the great Odettes Eatery. For something more simple, you can't beat Leigh Eats for fish and chips, an hour's drive from the center. This article appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of Condé Nast Traveler. Subscribe to the magazine here.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is this the most elegant cabin crew uniform in the skies?
Surely I can't be the only small girl who joined the Girl Guides, mainly (alright, entirely) because she fell in love with that pillbox hat? So navy, so BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) air stewardess. Actually, I know I'm not alone, because over the past few days I've listened to cabin crew past and present tell me what they love/loved, hate/hated about their uniforms. Some worked during aviation's golden age (the Seventies), Some, flying today, have lost pride in the uniform but still love the routes, the camaraderie, the craic. Others …let's just say uniforms provoke a lot of passion and some complicated emotions. I've also been reading Emilia Wickstead's emails to me from the other side of the world, where she's about to unveil the new uniforms she's spent the best part of a year designing for the entire crew of Air New Zealand. Despite dressing some of the world's most elegant women – the Princess of Wales, Naomi Watts, Renee Zelwegger, Ruth Wilson – this gig is such a big deal to her that she began pitching for it in November 2023. A Kiwi who has spent the past two decades in London building a successful and widely admired luxury fashion house, Wickstead leapt at the opportunity to contribute to the heritage of her homeland. 'The uniform is often the first visual representation of New Zealand people see when travelling around the world. For Kiwis, it's an iconic symbol of national identity. My goal was to ensure that when people see it, they feel a sense of pride, knowing it represents both Air New Zealand and the essence of Aotearoa' (the Māori name for New Zealand). No pressure then. Working with the Māori artist Te Rangitu Netana, who specialises in tā moko (traditional Māori tattoos) and designed the prints, Wickstead gathered feedback from hundreds of Air New Zealand employees about what they did and didn't like about previous uniforms. Comfort and functionality emerged as top priorities, unsurprisingly. But what works for one person doesn't always go down well universally. Airline uniforms are worn in a unique environment, 30,000 feet in the sky. One minute crew are graciously welcoming 300 passengers on board, the next they're unblocking a sink. ' I really focussed on their needs', says Wickstead.'Every trouser and skirt was created with adjustability in mind, even allowing for ease when crew members need to sleep on long-haul flights.'' When it comes to practical, comfortable fabrics, there are new minefields to navigate. In 2023, a California jury upheld the claim that a clothing company should pay more than $1 million to four American Airlines flight attendants who blamed chemicals used in the production of their uniforms for causing a variety of ailments including rashes, headaches and breathing problems. The verdict, reported Associated Press at the time, was probably the tip of the iceberg, with another 400 claimants in the pipeline. Even though we're well past the glory days of aviation, Wickstead's spot on about national flag carriers often being the first portal to a country and its character. While service, seats and punctuality are obviously the most important metrics of any airline, a garish uniform – particularly on a long flight – becomes a visual distraction, the opposite of soothing. Which is presumably why airlines still enlist big-name designers in the hope of injecting some much-needed glamour and sleekness. Chinese airline Hainan went all in, debuting its new uniforms at Paris Couture Fashion Week in 2017. Think slim-fitted cape coats and curved-hem jackets that nodded more to Dior's 1947 New Look than to a budget departures lounge. Lord knows how they fare when it comes to heaving suitcases into overhead lockers, but full marks for aspiration. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic consciously opted for a younger, more inclusive image in 2022 when it decreed that its crews should be encouraged to embrace their individuality and display their tattoos. British Airways takes a more traditional approach, although it permits male flight attendants to choose the dress options if they wish. 'I'm all for it in theory,' says one former flight attendant, 'but in all honesty, I'm not sure how much authority they'd have in a dress when it comes to calming down unruly or drunk passengers.' Flight attendants who worked for the now-defunct American airline Braniff Airways had different challenges. Their 1970s Pucci-designed uniforms made the male crew look like extras from The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and included – I kid you not – see-through Perspex space helmets for stewardesses to wear in the airport, designed to protect their beehive hairdos. Pride, cynicism, resentment – and sometimes even humiliation – all play a part in how crews feel about their uniforms. 'Oh God, the rules we had for what we wore on the ground,' sighs a now-retired crew member from a major UK airline. 'It all changed after MeToo in 2016, but right up until then we had to wear heels in the airport, which meant carrying a spare flat pair for onboard. And for one long stretch, we had these incredibly stiff hats, again for the airport, which meant you had to lug a hatbox around so you could store them properly during the flight. I think at one point everyone lost their damn hat and if you didn't have a hat, you weren't allowed to fly. Nor was it remotely unusual, prior to 2017, to have a manager on board tell you to go and retouch your lipstick. I found it insulting – you'd be in the middle of serving dinner to 200 passengers and make-up was the priority.' These are trifling inconveniences compared with the 1960s and 1970s when female flight attendants were regularly weighed. They still are on some of the Middle Eastern and East Asian airlines, one industry insider tells me. 'It might not be a politically correct observation,' says this veteran, 'but when passengers say how elegant those cabin crew look in their national-costume uniforms, remember how petite they are. You have to be realistic about who's going to be wearing the uniforms and the kind of tasks they're performing. God knows how those crew in light or bright red uniforms cope with the stains. Give me good old navy blue.' Which brings us to British Airways, who last year introduced a comprehensive new uniform designed by Savile Row tailor Oswald Boateng. The range includes a dress, skirt, three-piece suit, hat, jumpsuit ('Totally inadvisable for life in the skies,' a veteran crew member pronounces. 'One word: loos'), as well as a hijab and tunic. Reactions among crew have been mixed. When I commented how smart it looked to a flight attendant a few months ago, they told me that it was uncomfortable and that they missed the old one. 'I don't think uniforms are the big selling point they once were,' they continued. 'I always say you can tell the newbies by how well ironed their uniform is. After a while, things get a bit slack.' Not so for Mary Meronk, an American who flew for Western Airlines from 1974 to 1987, and then for the larger carrier, Delta Air Lines, until 2020. Meronk loved her job and says wearing her various uniforms – she remembers at least eight over the course of her career – instilled her with pride. 'I would constantly get feedback from passengers that Delta Air was their all-time favourite airline,' she says. She still derives immense satisfaction from that. Meronk surfed an era when male passengers wore suits, female passengers dressed up, and 'pilots were politically incorrect and raunchy'. In the Seventies, being a member of the crew on a respected airline was, in glamorous career stakes, comparable with being an influencer in 2023. Unlike National Airlines, yet another US carrier, whose ads (which were controversial even at the time) featured hostesses breathily inviting potential passengers to 'fly me', Western promoted itself as a clean cut family airline. 'Nothing sexy,' says Meronk. 'Pacific Southwest Airlines wore neon orange/hot pink minis with boots. We wore thick red checkered polyester jumpers, blazers and skirts. We had strict appearance requirements but we would still try and shorten our skirts a couple of inches above the required top of the knee.' Most of Meronk's uniforms lasted six to eight years before they were updated. 'We had a real doozy that only lasted four. The Atlanta Times said Delta had created the ugliest uniform ever. It was humiliating to have to wear it. I spent $800 trying to get my tailor to adjust it so it would be attractive.' Meronk's next Delta uniform, by Richard Tyler, a fairly big name in fashion in the Nineties, was more successful. Incredibly, it was the first time she had a uniform that didn't require dry cleaning. 'One major snafu. Many of the flight attendants were allergic to the fabric. Some had photos of their neck and chest broken out in rashes. One girl showed a big clump of her hair missing and said it was from the fabric. Delta finally said you could buy any black suit off the rack and wear it to work in the interim before a solution was found.' The American Airlines court case clearly wasn't a one off. As for Air New Zealand's new uniform and where it ranks on the roster of all time greats? High, that much seems clear. It's distinctive but adaptable to different shapes. Personally, I have a soft spot for the memorably ludicrous ones of the past (ie Braniff's) although they must have been a pain to wear. And I'm a sucker for national dress – remember British Caledonian's kilts? So I like the Māori touches combined with Wickstead's sophisticated tailored pinstripe blazers, the classy purple crepe dresses and the pillbox (reminiscent of my Girl Guide/BOAC one). Unlike some huge names who've designed for their national carriers (including Yves Saint Laurent for Air France and Hardy Amies for British Airways) Wickstead's Air New Zealand kit features strong identifying details from the designer's own signature repertoire – such as the draped neckline, reminiscent of dresses the Princess of Wales has worn. Sophisticated as it is, as Wickstead concedes, its fate rests on its ability to function in a cramped galley on a ten hour flight. 'A beautiful design is one thing, but it has to perform.'' Rated from one (first-class style), to 10 (looks that should never have left the launch pad)... Elegant and well-cut, with drape-neck details inspired by some of the Princess of Wales's favourite dresses, this uniform is a future classic. Giving Emily in Paris vibes rather than Luton airport, Hainan launched this new uniform at couture week in 2017. Full marks for aspiration, but how would those pencil skirts look after 11 hours in a cramped galley? Delta seems to have a seven-year itch when it comes to uniforms, switching them out regularly – with varying degrees of success. One was dubbed 'the ugliest ever' by the Atlanta Times, while another sparked complaints of severe allergic reactions among crew. This one however, is a snazzy winner. Elegant, dignified, a charming taster of the country – this is everything when it comes to an airline uniform. 'But look at the Singapore crew,' an industry insider says. 'They're all petite. I think they still get weighed regularly.' Sleek, functional and multicultural (there's a hijab and tunic option), this is a pretty solid showing for British Airways's latest uniform, introduced last year and designed by Savile Row tailor Oswald Boateng. Judging by the reviews on Instagram, where Etihad's crew proudly highlight the Made in Italy labels inside their jackets, this uniform still packs some pride. In fact, the uniforms are also made in China and Tunisia, but they're 100 per cent wool and so chic that they've even been cited as an influence on some of the Princess of Wales's recent burgundy outfits. Designed in 1970 by Hanae Mori, this uniform is so natty, cute and strangely subversive that it must surely have appeared on Miuccia Prada's mood boards when she worked on recent Miu Miu collections. The half a dozen uniforms Emilio Pucci designed for Braniff Airways between 1965 and 1974 belong to an era when flying to Mallorca or Madrid felt like the pinnacle of luxury. Part of Braniff's mission was to bring about the 'end of the Plain Plane,' with one iteration featuring a Perspex rain dome to protect the hostesses' beehives. This one's a bit like Marmite. It looks crisp and striking in the pictures, but in real life, the combination of polyester fibres and a harsh red can be garish and oddly distracting when you're trying to relax on board. After all, nobody needs more red on the red-eye. A short-lived foray into aviation from America's least woke fast food chain. Launched with stupendously bad timing – just two years after two aircraft crashed into America's most iconic buildings – this cheap and 'cheeky' venture lasted only three. Who would've given it that long? Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Forbes
17-04-2025
- Forbes
Air New Zealand Launches Its New Business Class And Designer Uniforms
Several Emilia Wickstead designs for pilots and crew members of Air New Zealand set to debut next year. Emilia Wickstead couldn't maintain her composure. The renowned fashion designer, London-based but native Kiwi, kept tearing up and sweetly apologizing for it, as she stood at the podium in Auckland to unveil her designs for the new Air New Zealand uniforms, the first new designs in 15 years. The emotion, pride and attachment to her homeland were clearly on display. So much so that it's hard to imagine any other airline, even national carriers, announcing a uniform update with so much feeling. Emilia Wickstead and Te Rangitu Netana For Wickstead, though, the three year development was a passion project. 'My godmother worked for the airline for 25 years,' she said in a conversation earlier that day. 'Her father, my uncle, my cousin all did so it feels like it's been a big part of my life, when you think about the way you grew up, the place that you come from. I've put elements from my past, which make me love home so much, into the uniforms.' She admitted that she'd also emailed airline executives several times to volunteer her design services before they announced a competition to choose a new designer. 'I've wanted to do this since I was a little girl,' she says. To design the prints inspired by Māori heritage, she turned to tā moko (Māori tattoo) artist Te Rangitu Netana, another New Zealander living in Britain, who drew distinctive pattens such as Purapura Whetū (inspired by the stars used by Māori ancestors for navigation), designed to be worn by cabin crew and ground staff members. Pilots will wear bold pinstriped suits with a Kiwi feather lining, symbolizing leadership and prestige. Cabin crew and ground staff uniforms featuring the kaka feather design. Wickstead chose a rich shade of purple, the airline's signature color, along with crisp black and white, the colors of the planes' livery and wearable, durable, sustainable but soft fabrics: recycled cottons and polyesters. But the sharpness of the tailoring and finishes are very much in line with her trademark designs often seen on famous clients such as Catherine, the Princess of Wales. 'If I'm going to put my name to something, it can't feel like a completely different project,' she explains. 'We pride ourselves on architectural design lines and a great fit.' The array of uniforms on different staff members. Since the designs will need to fit many different body types among the 6000 staff members who will be representing the airline, she conducted extensive fittings and conversations with staff members about what worked and what didn't in previous uniforms. And just to make sure that all of the uniforms perform as they need to, they will be fine tuned in onboard tryouts before debuting system wide next year. When that happens, Wickstead hopes that the airline will be instantly identifiable when staff members walk through the airport. 'We also sometimes forget how powerful clothing can be, how it can make you feel incredibly confident, to be the best version of yourself.,'she says.' That's exactly what I want this uniform to be.' The new Business Premier Luxe seat set to debut on the San Francisco-Auckland route on May 19. Also due to make its debut onboard on May 19: the much delayed, hugely improved Business Premier pods replacing the angled, not particularly private pods now in the air. They will make their appearance first in retrofitted 787-9 aircraft on the Auckland-San Francisco route followed by Auckland-Brisbane and other destinations where Dreamliners fly; New York will have to wait until next year, though, for the new 787s to arrive from the factory. But it will be worth it: these private, 21 inch wide, forward facing seats will now be in line with the best offerings of other premium carriers with extensive storage space, lie flat seats that extend to 80 inches long and can be extended easily by the passenger (the current ones require the flight attendant to flip the seat over to get into sleeping position), 24 inch, high resolution monitors and a wireless charging pad to charge personal devices. There will be 22 Business Premier seats plus four Business Premier Luxe seats which have all of the features of Business Premier plus privacy doors. Skynest for economy class passengers set to debut on the New York route in 2026 In the back of the plane on the new 787-9 aircraft due for delivery next year: the innovative Skynest which resembles a train bunk bed in triplicate allowing economy passengers the ability to also stretch out on a long haul flight. But there's a catch: bunks can only be reserved for a four hour stretch.
Telegraph
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Is this the most elegant cabin crew uniform in the skies?
Surely I can't be the only small girl who joined the Girl Guides, mainly (alright, entirely) because she fell in love with that pillbox hat? So navy, so BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) air stewardess. Actually, I know I'm not alone, because over the past few days I've listened to cabin crew past and present tell me what they love/loved, hate/hated about their uniforms. Some worked during aviation's golden age (the Seventies), Some, flying today, have lost pride in the uniform but still love the routes, the camaraderie, the craic. Others …let's just say uniforms provoke a lot of passion and some complicated emotions. I've also been reading Emilia Wickstead 's emails to me from the other side of the world, where she's about to unveil the new uniforms she's spent the best part of a year designing for the entire crew of Air New Zealand. Despite dressing some of the world's most elegant women – the Princess of Wales, Naomi Watts, Renee Zelwegger, Ruth Wilson – this gig is such a big deal to her that she began pitching for it in November 2023. A Kiwi who has spent the past two decades in London building a successful and widely admired luxury fashion house, Wickstead leapt at the opportunity to contribute to the heritage of her homeland. 'The uniform is often the first visual representation of New Zealand people see when travelling around the world. For Kiwis, it's an iconic symbol of national identity. My goal was to ensure that when people see it, they feel a sense of pride, knowing it represents both Air New Zealand and the essence of Aotearoa ' (the Māori name for New Zealand). No pressure then. Working with the Māori artist Te Rangitu Netana, who specialises in tā moko (traditional Māori tattoos) and designed the prints, Wickstead gathered feedback from hundreds of Air New Zealand employees about what they did and didn't like about previous uniforms. Comfort and functionality emerged as top priorities, unsurprisingly. But what works for one person doesn't always go down well universally. Airline uniforms are worn in a unique environment, 30,000 feet in the sky. One minute crew are graciously welcoming 300 passengers on board, the next they're unblocking a sink. ' I really focussed on their needs', says Wickstead.'Every trouser and skirt was created with adjustability in mind, even allowing for ease when crew members need to sleep on long-haul flights.'' When it comes to practical, comfortable fabrics, there are new minefields to navigate. In 2023, a California jury upheld the claim that a clothing company should pay more than $1 million to four American Airlines flight attendants who blamed chemicals used in the production of their uniforms for causing a variety of ailments including rashes, headaches and breathing problems. The verdict, reported Associated Press at the time, was probably the tip of the iceberg, with another 400 claimants in the pipeline. Even though we're well past the glory days of aviation, Wickstead's spot on about national flag carriers often being the first portal to a country and its character. While service, seats and punctuality are obviously the most important metrics of any airline, a garish uniform – particularly on a long flight – becomes a visual distraction, the opposite of soothing. Which is presumably why airlines still enlist big-name designers in the hope of injecting some much-needed glamour and sleekness. Chinese airline Hainan went all in, debuting its new uniforms at Paris Couture Fashion Week in 2017. Think slim-fitted cape coats and curved-hem jackets that nodded more to Dior's 1947 New Look than to a budget departures lounge. Lord knows how they fare when it comes to heaving suitcases into overhead lockers, but full marks for aspiration. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic consciously opted for a younger, more inclusive image in 2022 when it decreed that its crews should be encouraged to embrace their individuality and display their tattoos. British Airways takes a more traditional approach, although it permits male flight attendants to choose the dress options if they wish. 'I'm all for it in theory,' says one former flight attendant, 'but in all honesty, I'm not sure how much authority they'd have in a dress when it comes to calming down unruly or drunk passengers.' Flight attendants who worked for the now-defunct American airline Braniff Airways had different challenges. Their 1970s Pucci-designed uniforms made the male crew look like extras from The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and included – I kid you not – see-through Perspex space helmets for stewardesses to wear in the airport, designed to protect their beehive hairdos. Pride, cynicism, resentment – and sometimes even humiliation – all play a part in how crews feel about their uniforms. 'Oh God, the rules we had for what we wore on the ground,' sighs a now-retired crew member from a major UK airline. 'It all changed after MeToo in 2016, but right up until then we had to wear heels in the airport, which meant carrying a spare flat pair for onboard. And for one long stretch, we had these incredibly stiff hats, again for the airport, which meant you had to lug a hatbox around so you could store them properly during the flight. I think at one point everyone lost their damn hat and if you didn't have a hat, you weren't allowed to fly. Nor was it remotely unusual, prior to 2017, to have a manager on board tell you to go and retouch your lipstick. I found it insulting – you'd be in the middle of serving dinner to 200 passengers and make-up was the priority.' These are trifling inconveniences compared with the 1960s and 1970s when female flight attendants were regularly weighed. They still are on some of the Middle Eastern and East Asian airlines, one industry insider tells me. 'It might not be a politically correct observation,' says this veteran, 'but when passengers say how elegant those cabin crew look in their national-costume uniforms, remember how petite they are. You have to be realistic about who's going to be wearing the uniforms and the kind of tasks they're performing. God knows how those crew in light or bright red uniforms cope with the stains. Give me good old navy blue.' Which brings us to British Airways, who last year introduced a comprehensive new uniform designed by Savile Row tailor Oswald Boateng. The range includes a dress, skirt, three-piece suit, hat, jumpsuit ('Totally inadvisable for life in the skies,' a veteran crew member pronounces. 'One word: loos'), as well as a hijab and tunic. Reactions among crew have been mixed. When I commented how smart it looked to a flight attendant a few months ago, they told me that it was uncomfortable and that they missed the old one. 'I don't think uniforms are the big selling point they once were,' they continued. 'I always say you can tell the newbies by how well ironed their uniform is. After a while, things get a bit slack.' Not so for Mary Meronk, an American who flew for Western Airlines from 1974 to 1987, and then for the larger carrier, Delta Air Lines, until 2020. Meronk loved her job and says wearing her various uniforms – she remembers at least eight over the course of her career – instilled her with pride. 'I would constantly get feedback from passengers that Delta Air was their all-time favourite airline,' she says. She still derives immense satisfaction from that. Meronk surfed an era when male passengers wore suits, female passengers dressed up, and 'pilots were politically incorrect and raunchy'. In the Seventies, being a member of the crew on a respected airline was, in glamorous career stakes, comparable with being an influencer in 2023. Unlike National Airlines, yet another US carrier, whose ads (which were controversial even at the time) featured hostesses breathily inviting potential passengers to 'fly me', Western promoted itself as a clean cut family airline. 'Nothing sexy,' says Meronk. 'Pacific Southwest Airlines wore neon orange/hot pink minis with boots. We wore thick red checkered polyester jumpers, blazers and skirts. We had strict appearance requirements but we would still try and shorten our skirts a couple of inches above the required top of the knee.' Most of Meronk's uniforms lasted six to eight years before they were updated. 'We had a real doozy that only lasted four. The Atlanta Times said Delta had created the ugliest uniform ever. It was humiliating to have to wear it. I spent $800 trying to get my tailor to adjust it so it would be attractive.' Meronk's next Delta uniform, by Richard Tyler, a fairly big name in fashion in the Nineties, was more successful. Incredibly, it was the first time she had a uniform that didn't require dry cleaning. 'One major snafu. Many of the flight attendants were allergic to the fabric. Some had photos of their neck and chest broken out in rashes. One girl showed a big clump of her hair missing and said it was from the fabric. Delta finally said you could buy any black suit off the rack and wear it to work in the interim before a solution was found.' The American Airlines court case clearly wasn't a one off. As for Air New Zealand's new uniform and where it ranks on the roster of all time greats? High, that much seems clear. It's distinctive but adaptable to different shapes. Personally, I have a soft spot for the memorably ludicrous ones of the past (ie Braniff's) although they must have been a pain to wear. And I'm a sucker for national dress – remember British Caledonian's kilts? So I like the Māori touches combined with Wickstead's sophisticated tailored pinstripe blazers, the classy purple crepe dresses and the pillbox (reminiscent of my Girl Guide/BOAC one). Unlike some huge names who've designed for their national carriers (including Yves Saint Laurent for Air France and Hardy Amies for British Airways) Wickstead's Air New Zealand kit features strong identifying details from the designer's own signature repertoire – such as the draped neckline, reminiscent of dresses the Princess of Wales has worn. Sophisticated as it is, as Wickstead concedes, its fate rests on its ability to function in a cramped galley on a ten hour flight. 'A beautiful design is one thing, but it has to perform.'' Top ten cabin crew uniforms Rated from one (first-class style), to 10 (looks that should never have left the launch pad)... 1. Emilia Wickstead for Air New Zealand Elegant and well-cut, with drape-neck details inspired by some of the Princess of Wales's favourite dresses, this uniform is a future classic. 2. Hainan Airlines Giving Emily in Paris vibes rather than Luton airport, Hainan launched this new uniform at couture week in 2017. Full marks for aspiration, but how would those pencil skirts look after 11 hours in a cramped galley? 3. Delta Airlines in the 1970s and 1980s Delta seems to have a seven-year itch when it comes to uniforms, switching them out regularly – with varying degrees of success. One was dubbed 'the ugliest ever' by the Atlanta Times, while another sparked complaints of severe allergic reactions among crew. This one however, is a snazzy winner. 4. Singapore Airlines Elegant, dignified, a charming taster of the country – this is everything when it comes to an airline uniform. 'But look at the Singapore crew,' an industry insider says. 'They're all petite. I think they still get weighed regularly.' 5. Ozwald Boeteng for British Airways Sleek, functional and multicultural (there's a hijab and tunic option), this is a pretty solid showing for British Airways's latest uniform, introduced last year and designed by Savile Row tailor Oswald Boateng. 6. Etihad Airways Judging by the reviews on Instagram, where Etihad's crew proudly highlight the Made in Italy labels inside their jackets, this uniform still packs some pride. In fact, the uniforms are also made in China and Tunisia, but they're 100 per cent wool and so chic that they've even been cited as an influence on some of the Princess of Wales's recent burgundy outfits. 7. Hanae Mori for Japan Airlines Designed in 1970 by Hanae Mori, this uniform is so natty, cute and strangely subversive that it must surely have appeared on Miuccia Prada's mood boards when she worked on recent Miu Miu collections. 8. Pucci for Braniff International Airways The half a dozen uniforms Emilio Pucci designed for Braniff Airways between 1965 and 1974 belong to an era when flying to Mallorca or Madrid felt like the pinnacle of luxury. Part of Braniff's mission was to bring about the 'end of the Plain Plane,' with one iteration featuring a Perspex rain dome to protect the hostesses' beehives. 9. Virgin Atlantic This one's a bit like Marmite. It looks crisp and striking in the pictures, but in real life, the combination of polyester fibres and a harsh red can be garish and oddly distracting when you're trying to relax on board. After all, nobody needs more red on the red-eye. 10. Hooters Air A short-lived foray into aviation from America's least woke fast food chain. Launched with stupendously bad timing – just two years after two aircraft crashed into America's most iconic buildings – this cheap and 'cheeky' venture lasted only three. Who would've given it that long?
