Tata Group-owned Air India has confirmed that it is partnering with renowned fashion designer Manish Malhotra to make its new uniform for its crew members, PTI reported. The last time the carrier saw a change in its uniform was in 2015 when it was under the Government of India’s control.
The airline’s CEO Campbell Wilson said, “We are working closely with Manish and his team to combine elements of our brand, our heritage and our culture, together with the unique requirements of the airline environment, for what we hope will be a fresh and exciting new look that supports and represents the new Air India.”
Under the partnership, Malhotra will be designing uniforms for over 10,000 employees, including cabin crew, cockpit crew, ground and security staff. At present, Air India has over 8,000 flying staff. Female cabin crew wear saree or kurta in red or blue colour, while male cabin crew don white shirt, black trousers and a black jet.
Talking about the partnership, Malhotra expressed that he feels honoured to collaborate with Air India, calling them “our national flying ambassadors”. “Our shared ideology is simple yet profound: to evolve without erasing, to modernise without forgetting. Together, we aim to intertwine tradition with the future, crafting uniforms where comfort meets authenticity, wrapped in timeless elegance,” Malhotra added.
When exactly will the new Air India uniforms be ready?
Earlier, a PTI report said the new uniforms are expected to be unveiled at the time when Air India inducts new A350 aircraft later this year. Air India has placed orders for 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing.
In its latest statement, the airline said it expects to start rolling out the new uniforms by the end of 2023.