Ready-to-wear sarees, blazers and pants: Air India unveils new uniform for pilots, cabin crew

Air India finally unveiled new uniforms for pilots and cabin crew on Tuesday, designed by celebrity fashion designer Manish Malhotra.The new uniforms will be introduced in a phased manner over the next few months, starting with the entry of service of Air India’s first Airbus A350.CEO and Managing Director of Air India, Campbell Wilson said, "Air India's crew uniforms are amongst the world’s most storied in aviation history, and we firmly believe that Manish Malhotra's innovative ensemble will script an exciting new chapter for Air India's future narrative. It perfectly captures the essence of our new identity, service principles, and our pursuit of setting new benchmarks in global aviation.”This is the first time in 60 years that the airplane carrier has changed uniforms for its crew. "These uniforms feature three quintessential Indian colours – red, aubergine and gold, representing the confident, vibrant new India," Air India said on X, formerly Twitter.Sharing his experience of envisioning the uniforms, Malhotra said, "There have been times when halfway across the world I have caught a glimpse of an Air India and felt closer to India again. In the earlier years, they (cabin crew) actually used to wear lehengas and maang teekas.""For me, designing these uniforms for the new era was an incredibly exciting chance. I wanted to stay true to Air India's roots while weaving in my own vision to represent the new chapter we are stepping in," he added.About the uniformsThe traditional saree worn by flight attendants has made a comeback in the ensemble with a hint of modernity, in the form of ready-to-wear sarees.In 1962, JRD Tata decided to replace skirts, jackets, and hats with sarees for female cabin crew members.The female cabin crew attire features a ready-to-wear ombré saree with intricate patterns reminiscent of Indian heritage architecture (jharokha) and the Vista (new Air India logo icon), paired with a blouse and blazer. The ready-to-wear sarees can be optionally worn with pants, which provides greater flexibility to female cabin crew to choose the style they most identify with and brings a unique East-meets-West look.The ombré sarees for the senior female cabin crew will be aubergine-to-burgundy, combined with aubergine blazers, exuding a balance of authority and sophistication. Conversely, the junior female cabin crew will wear vibrant red-to-purple ombré sarees combined with red blazers, embodying youthfulness and energy.Since Tata bought and consolidated Air India and Vistara in 2022, the airline has gone through multiple rebrandings. In September, Air India launched its new logo "The Vista," inspired by the peak of its signature gold window frame.