Lifestyle > Fashion |
Flair in the Air
December 9, 2016 / by China Daily
Image above: Taking to the skies with United Airlines flight attendants, 1939
The “Original Eight” flight attendants at Boeing Air Transport, 1930
From nurse-inspired looks to stylishly professional cabin crew outfits, attire in the sky has changed significantly over the years. Unlike other uniforms, which often share a similar palette, the looks for flight attendants vary quite a bit.
Wherever you look, you’re bound to see all the colours of the rainbow. Take the bold orange outfits of Russian carrier Aeroflot; the sky-blue of Korean Airlines; the blazing-hot red of Virgin Atlantic, designed by Vivienne Westwood; the Singapore Girl’s traditional sarong kebaya for Singapore Airlines by Pierre Balmain; the striking stripes of Australian national airline Qantas; the classic blue-and-red scheme of Air France; or the red cape option for Colombian national carrier Avianca Airlines.
Today you can spot each airline’s flight attendants from afar, but the uniforms originally signified nurses on board. In 1930, 25-year-old pilot and registered nurse Ellen Church appealed to the executives of Boeing Air Transport to hire women in the skies, who could help take care of passengers and calm their fears. Church and seven other women were hired by the airline. Known as the “Original Eight”, they dressed in dark blue suits with a cape and cap. Later, the “sky nurse” attire gave way to a lighter, more cheerful look, with a short-sleeved dress in white and a wool jacket in navy.
In the 1950s post-war era, the “jet set” rose to prominence in the US as airlines targeted wealthy passengers. Flight attendant style also kept pace, as famous designers came on board to create the uniforms. Prior to being named exclusive couturier to Jacqueline Kennedy when she was First Lady of the United States, Oleg Cassini designed the uniforms for Trans World Airlines (TWA) in the 1950s.
But Hollywood glamour really took to the skies in the mid-1960s. William Travilla, best known for dressing Marilyn Monroe, designed United Airlines uniforms from 1965 to 1968. Famously, the now-defunct US airline Braniff also brought Emilio Pucci on in 1965 to design the vibrant Gemini IV collection – and the looks only got wilder. The following year, Emilio Pucci presented the Supersonic Derby outfits to Braniff, featuring nylon jersey uniforms covered in Central American art motifs, paired with green boots and a bowler hat.
Things weren’t only happening in America, of course. In 1962, Christian Dior brought appealing haute couture to Air France; in the late ’60s and early ’70s, the airline enlisted Balenciaga. Further east, Japanese couturier Hanae Mori, who began designing the uniforms for Japan Air in 1967, designed a one-piece miniskirt uniform in 1970 that raised hemlines – and eyebrows.
The playful vibe seemed to come to an end in the 1980s, when boxy power suits became the norm. Today, uniforms have shifted towards the hyper-professional with a touch of glamour. But, like all things fashion, they continue to evolve. Perhaps one day soon, those playfully bold designs of the ’60s and ’70s will make a comeback.
If you’re a fan of these lovely looks, check out the exhibition Fashion in Flight: A History of Airline Uniform Design, held at the SFO Museum in San Francisco International Airport until January 8. 
The red-hot uniforms currently in vogue at Virgin Atlantic
Today’s striking Air France uniform by Christian Lacroix
From left to right: Qantas uniform by Yves Saint Laurent, 1986; United Airlines uniform by Stan Herman, 1976; Trans World Airlines uniform by Oleg Cassini, 1955; United Airlines uniform by Jean Louis, 1968