New designer uniforms for Virgin Atlantic staff

Source: blog.virgin-atlantic.com via Virgin Atlantic on Pinterest

The collaboration between the two British brands is a long-term partnership, which will see a total re-design of the uniform across all areas. For the new uniforms, Westwood wanted to create a futuristic look that references her enduring interest in 40s French couture cutting techniques and the Savile Row tailoring heritage. The new designs will capture the glamour and style of the brand.

Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic commented, "Virgin Atlantic has a distinct spirit and from a design perspective, we continually try to challenge the norm and stand out from the crowd. Our current uniform has been around for more than 10 years and we have seen other airlines start copying it. When we were choosing the designer for this project, we wanted to work with a group of people who share our spirit of adventure, who believe in challenging the status quo and creating something truly memorable."

Westwood added, "My clothes have always got a very strong dynamic rapport with the body - they are very body conscious, they help you to look glamorous, more hourglass, more woman. I design things to help people to express their personality. I am always trying to find fabrics that are friendlier to the environment. Working with Virgin Atlantic it has researched this and found more eco fabrics."

Traditional British look

For the female cabin crew uniform, the design process began by looking at cuts, which encompassed function as well as form. The suit is in the iconic Virgin red with a feminine silhouette to fit all shapes and sizes. The jacket enhances the female form with the aid of cleverly placed bust pleats, a nipped in waist and a curved hip line and the pencil skirt, which looks deceptively simple from the front, reveals a cheeky dart and double pleat at the back. For the men, a sharp Savile Row inspired three-piece suit in rich burgundy wool is subverted with shadow details in grey wool under the lapels and pockets. The effect is of a very traditional British look that is given a contemporary feel.

Passengers will receive a sneak peek of the new uniforms from July 2013 when cabin crew and ground staff try out the uniform at the airports and on board. Crew will provide feedback on the design, practicality and wearability, so tweaks can be made ahead of the full launch in 2014.

Recycled material in clothes, bags

Many items of the new uniform will be produced using recycled materials - in particular working with recycled polyester yarn made from used plastic bottles. The suiting fabrics will also have a nano finish applied that extends the life of garments and enables clothing to retain its colour and finish for longer. The company is also developing all items with closed loop recycling in mind. This new technology takes worn polyester clothing and turns it back into fibres that can be woven again into new fabrics and in turn new clothing.

Westwood has also introduced recycled bags for the ground staff, which will be produced for Virgin through the Ethical Africa Programme, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC). The bags will be created using recycled canvas, reused roadside banners, unused leather off-cuts and recycled brass, produced in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, where discarded metal such as padlocks and car pieces are collected then melted down.

For more information, go to http://pinterest.com/VirginAtlantic/New-Red-Threads/ or on Twitter using #newredthreads.