Pictured: British Airways unveils brand new uniforms for the first time in almost 20 years

British Airways has unveiled a new uniform for the first time in almost 20 years, with the collection of garments set to “lead the airline into its next chapter”.

For the past few months, the airline’s crew has been testing the uniform in secret tests in the sky and on the ground.

Designed by British fashion designer and tailor Ozwald Boateng OBE, the uniform, which will be launched in the spring, features a “modern overall” for female cabin crew, described as “airline first”.

The collection also includes dress, skirt and trousers options for women and a tailored three-piece suit for men with regular and slim fit trousers. A tunic and hijab option has also been created for the wearer.

British Airways has unveiled a new uniform for the first time in almost 20 years, with the collection of garments set to “lead the airline into its next chapter”.

The uniform collection includes a “modern overall” (above) for female cabin crew, dubbed “Airline First”.

According to British Airways, Boateng took great care to create “a truly original collection, taking inspiration from the airline and its people in the art of flying”.

The Airwave pattern, which characterizes the entire uniform collection including jackets, t-shirts, buttons and ties, was inspired by the movement of air over an airplane wing, while the jacquard fabric on all tailored garments features a variation of the airline’s iconic Speedmarque.

Boateng has been developing the collection with “meticulous care” since 2018, the airline reveals. It states that he accompanied a range of tasks at the airport to understand how the uniform needed to work for each job and ensure a “modern British, stylish look” using high-quality, durable and easy-care fabrics.

More than 1,500 airline crew members participated in 50 workshops to ensure garment suitability, from design workshops to prototype feedback and garment trials. According to British Airways, these workshops helped create “an iconic collection that will stand the test of time”.

The secret trials put cabin and flight crew uniforms through their paces on cargo flights across Europe, while engineers clandestinely wore the new uniforms while keeping planes out of sight at Manchester and Cotswold airports.

There are dress, skirt and trouser options for women, as well as a “modern” jumpsuit that’s billed as an airline first

The Airwave pattern, which runs throughout the uniform collection including jackets, t-shirts, buttons and ties, was inspired by the movement of air over an airplane wing

To ensure each garment serves its purpose, the airline has been secretly testing the uniform for the past six months

Many of the outdoor garments have also been tested in waterfall showers and freezers at minus 18 degrees Celsius to ensure they are water-repellent, durable and suitable for extreme weather conditions.

During the trials, the crew provided feedback on the practicality of the garments, leading to changes ahead of the unified rollout.

British Airways, for example, says engineers have been demanding easy-to-access tool pouches for working on planes, while ground handlers have asked for fabric with touchscreen technology in their gloves so they can use their devices in cold climates without having to take them off.

Sustainability and quality have been at the forefront throughout the unified design process, the airline reveals, adding that more than 90 percent of the garments are made from sustainable fabrics made from recycled polyester blends.

As part of British Airways’ BA Better World commitment to working with sustainable suppliers, the airline only works with manufacturers who are members of the Better Cotton Initiative, the world’s leading cotton sustainability initiative whose mission is to help cotton communities To help survive and thrive while protecting and restoring the environment.

The airline’s engineers and ground operations staff will be the first to wear the new uniform starting in the spring. All British Airways cabin crew, pilots and check-in staff will switch from their current uniform to the new one in summer 2023.

Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng (pictured) was hired to design the new BA uniforms

Many of the outdoor garments have also been tested in waterfall showers and freezers at minus 18 degrees Celsius to ensure they are waterproof, durable and suitable for extreme weather conditions. The airline’s engineers and ground operations staff will be the first to wear the new uniform starting in the spring

The former British Airways uniform (above) was designed by Julien MacDonald

When they pick up their new uniform pieces, they drop off their previous Julien MacDonald clothing items, which are donated to charity or recycled into toys, tablet holders and more, with a number of items being donated to the airline’s museum.

British Airways cabin crew member Emma Carey, who was one of the colleagues who carried out clandestine testing of the uniform, said: “It was a real honor and responsibility to help test the new uniform and put it through its paces at 35,000ft to test to make sure it does what it’s supposed to do, with thousands of my colleagues counting on me. It was great to see adjustments being made based on our feedback. For example, the pockets on the apron were widened after the rehearsal to give us more space for everything we needed during meals on board. I can’t wait for our customers to see the new collection.”

Boateng said: “Designing this uniform was a massive and painstaking undertaking that went well beyond clothing. It was about bringing about an energetic shift internally. One of my main goals was to create something that speaks to and for fellow airlines. Something that inspired and empowered them, encouraged them to take pride in their roles and most importantly, made sure they felt seen and heard. While the airline has a strong heritage, it was imperative to help them create a new narrative of change and transcendence while staying timely.”

Sean Doyle, Chairman and CEO of British Airways said: “Our uniform is an iconic representation of our brand, something that will carry us into our future, representing the best of modern Britain and helping us deliver a great, genuine British service to us offer customers.

“From the beginning it was about our people. We wanted to create a consistent collection that our employees are proud of and we are confident that with the help of over 1,500 colleagues we have achieved this.”