Airlines and rail operators are wrestling with a uniform dilemma: how to make sure staff look good and represent their brands in style, while balancing the global move towards informality and employee demands for comfort and practicality.
Some are leaning in on the casualisation trend and expanding activewear priorities, while others are going for modern elegance, embracing a retro, tailored look but using modified materials better suited to the times.
Zac Clarke, Director at crew footwear specialist, Sky Soles, says the trend is most vividly noted in shoes, pointing at growing demand for crew trainers. He says: “The working-from-home trend has certainly influenced dress expectations, including for uniformed staff. Casualisation and active lifestyle trends are evolving dress trends to better cater for a modern person’s daily life.”
The company supplies uniform trainers to Brussels Airlines where the new look blends traditional dress with formalised casual items. The uniform redesign included collaboration with designer Gabrielle Szwarcenberg and Belgian brands Atelier Content and Ambiorix, and the brief was to reflect ‘Belgitude’ and celebrate diversity in the workplace.
The collection includes unisex pieces and trainers alongside vegan-leather shoes. The designs are inspired by the chic uniforms of the 1960s but have been created to be comfortable and flattering for diverse body types and ages.
Clarke adds: “We foresee the continued casualisation of uniforms globally with a greater focus on comfort that can be dressed up or down as required. The market remains focused on price, comfort and occupational safety features while consistently pushing for an enhanced environmental approach.”
SAS acknowledged its uniform style had to be updated to suit today’s inclusive attitudes and employee expectations. Its new range, rolling out since February, draws inspiration from iconic SAS uniforms of the past by Christian Dior and Calvin Klein, but blends a modern, approachable aesthetic to include gender inclusive, neutral items and the option of trainers.
But for airline start-up, Riyadh Air, pitching itself as a brand inspired by the golden age of travel, the uniform launch at Paris Couture Week gave a nod to a very different time with a retro-modern collection including tailored suits, cashmere outerwear, dresses, fine wool trousers and pillbox hats. The uniform also features amethyst earrings, reflecting the brand’s colours – a neat trick of introducing style accents through accessories. It’s something LOT Polish Airlines has done too, with new scarves, pocket squares and ties created by Polish outfitters LANCERTO.
Jermyn Street Design, which has long-standing partnerships with the likes of Jet2, Titan Airlines and rail operator Eurostar, believes brand identity remains central to uniform design but sees it evolving to become more contemporary and better aligned with the practical and operational requirements of the cabin.
The team learned from past projects with Qatar Airways and British Airways that while aesthetics garner immediate attention, durability and comfort ultimately define a successful uniform. Ann Dowdeswell, Managing Director at JSD, notes: “Wearer wellbeing is at the heart of the process for us. As the aviation industry looks to the next frontier, where sustainability, technological advancement and inclusivity guide every decision, airline uniforms must serve as an extension of the brand experience without compromising on practicality.”
She highlights the rising average age of cabin crew and says this is also driving a new emphasis on designs that suit a broader demographic. “By offering an expanded, on-brand wardrobe, airlines enable employees to choose styles that meet individual preferences while remaining faithful to the overall brand aesthetic,” she says.
Green is the colour
Sustainability policies are also influencing buying decisions and driving fabric innovation. Recycled polyester, organic cotton, bamboo blends and even algae-based textiles are among the options now. These fabrics help reduce water consumption and pesticide use.
‘Leather’ made from cacti and grapes, BCI-certified cotton and mulesing-free wool (for animal welfare) all feature in the Brussels Airlines’ collection, and Sky Soles reports eco-friendly ‘leathers’ made from corn starch and recycled polyester fibre are becoming a mainstay.
Industry leader SKYPRO earned a B Corp certification in January and has built a business model on reusing, reducing and recycling.
JDS also works with rail operators looking to match uniforms with ‘green’ credentials. “We champion ethical sourcing, fair labour practices, and local or nearshore manufacturing to keep carbon footprints in check,” says Dowdeswell.
End of life
Lifecycle management programmes are moving up the agenda too, ranging from repair and upcycling initiatives to uniform recycling schemes diverting old garments from landfill. Finnair is working with Finnish work-clothing manufacturer Image Wear to repair and refresh uniforms and turn worn-out uniforms into raw materials used in products such as tables and benches.
Jetstar launched a new uniform in November paired to a management partnership in Australia and New Zealand with BlockTexx, which uses new technologies to transform textiles into high-grade raw materials for use in other industries.
Technical innovation
All agree materials need to withstand temperature fluctuations and maintain a professional presentation, and that easy-care finishes support quick cleaning and minimal maintenance. Materials that are lightweight, breathable and resistant to creasing dominate, but smart textiles that regulate body temperature, wick moisture effectively or incorporate anti-microbial finishes are also moving into the mix.
Jane Porter, CEO and Founder of Studio 104, has been working on NetJets uniforms for the past two years and says: “We have just invented a new product for crew that is a bit like underwear, designed to be washed often and to protect the core uniform items. We created ionic technology called Everfresh and we weave it into the yarn of the fabric, and it repels bacteria. Crew have six or seven of these to use as a barrier. They make them feel so much better and then it means the core product lasts longer.”
Materials with integrated tech components are predicted to come increasingly to the fore with a real potential to improve both operational efficiency and staff wellbeing. RFID tags on uniforms can, for example, streamline inventory management, and in future embedded devices could monitor stress levels.
JDS is also using 3D body scanning and AI-based visualisation to create hyper-accurate virtual models of employees, saving on material costs and speeding up design.
Feel-good factors
Porter believes uniforms are key to making crew feel good. She says: “We’re new to the sector but design is our USP. A big thing at the moment for airlines is the experience that the crew have through getting their uniform. We make sure the uniform arrives in beautiful boxes. There’s tissue paper, there’s a note inside: it’s all about the experience.”
