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PREVIOUS | Virgin Atlantic has signed up British fashion doyenne Dame Vivienne Westwood to create a new look for the airline's 7,500 flight crew and ground staff.
Westwood's take on Virgin's iconic red threads stays in the safe territory of sharp silhouettes and dapper detailing with a modern slim-fit cut. In other words, very Cool Britannia.
"The uniform is glamorous but practical, referencing 40s couture cuts and Saville Row tailoring" observes hip UK fashion mag Grazia, noting the female outfit's "very feminine silhouette, nipped in at the waist and with double pleats and a dart on the pencil skirt."
And for Branson's blokes, it's "a three piece Saville Row suit in a rich burgundy wool with details in grey wool under the lapels and pockets."
But Westwood's latest line isn't quite ready for the catwalk.
Cabin crew and ground staff will done a first cut of the uniforms in July 2013, putting them through the rigours of everyday wear to provide feedback on the design, practicality and wearability ahead of a final version set for airline-wide rollout in 2014.
This will be Virgin Atlantic's fourth uniform in the 30 years since Sir Richard Branson launched the airline in 1984.
"Our current uniform is 13 years old, and over the last 13 years it's been copied by quite a lot of people" said Branson, seen above with Westwood. "There are some things like the colour that people love, the red colour is very Virgin so we said ideally we'd like to keep that."
The uniforms continue the "glamour of flying" theme championed by many premium airlines.
"My clothes have always got a very strong dynamic rapport with the body" Westwood said of her work for Virgin. "They are very body conscious, they help you to look glamorous, more hourglass, more woman."
Here's a video clip in which Branson and Westwood talk up the new look.
Virgin's move caps off a fashionista flurry that's seen bold new Qantas gear designed by Martin Grant...
... plus China Eastern's stylish uniform from Christian Lacroix.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
13 Sep 2011
Total posts 180
She may be a good designer and all that but have you seen the state of her????
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
She does look a bit of a fright but this is just 'her' own look, never mind that, as long as the clothes she designs are cool and these ones for VX do look pretty good.
19 Mar 2013
Total posts 38
Woganfan, Westwood's designs are usually very "out there", she became famous doing punk rock fashion during the late 70s so she is not your typical High Street designer. This Virgin Atlantic uniform is probably the most normal thing she has ever done!
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 645
can 'woganfan' please post a pic of him/her self so we can all 'see the state' of him/her!
i hear you say.. " how is that relevant"? ... EXACTLY MY POINT!!
09 May 2013
Total posts 2
Nothing new in this design. It's just basically copying something that has already been designed and adding a bit of this and taking away a bit of that.
The real pioneers in design were the people who who tranformed the way we dressed from one era to the next.
Having said that, it is an attractive uniform considering I don't like Westwood's attempts at throwing items together and onto models and then sadly onto the public!
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