Air India unveils new uniforms for cabin crew, pilots designed by Manish Malhotra

Air India unveiled the uniforms for cabin crew and pilots designed by Manish Malhotra on December 12. The airline's female cabin crew will wear ombre sarees with a modern touch, while the men will wear bandhgalas. For the cockpit crew, the celebrated couturier has designed classic black suits.

The new uniforms will be introduced in a phased manner over the next few months, debuting with the entry of service of Air India’s first Airbus A350.

The female cabin crew uniform features ready-to-wear ombre saree with intricate jharokha patterns and the Vista (new Air India logo icon), paired with a blouse and blazer. Neo-traditional, we say.

The ready-to-wear sarees can be optionally worn with comfortable pants. The airline, in the press release, said that the move is to provide greater flexibility for female cabin crew to choose the style they most identify with and bring a unique East-meets-West look.

The ombre sarees for the senior female cabin crew will be aubergine-to-burgundy, combined with aubergine blazers. Junior female cabin crew will wear vibrant red-to-purple sarees combined with red blazers.

The cockpit crew’s uniform, on the other hand, features a classic black double-breasted suit with a print inspired by the Vista.

Introducing our new Pilot & Cabin crew uniforms, an ode to Air India’s rich history and a promise of a bright future.

These uniforms, envisioned by India’s leading couturier @ManishMalhotra, features three quintessential Indian colours – red, aubergine and gold, representing the… pic.twitter.com/Pt1YBdJlMN

— Air India (@airindia) December 12, 2023

Manish Malhotra said he aimed to create uniforms that capture the essence of India's diverse culture and traditions while also embodying a modern and sophisticated look.

“I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to design the uniforms for Air India. It is a privilege to be able to contribute to the national flag-bearer and showcase the elegance and charm of Indian fashion. My aim was to create uniforms that capture the essence of India's diverse culture and traditions while also embodying a modern and sophisticated look,” the designer said.

“Air India's crew uniforms are among 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,” Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India, said.

The designer has also curated footwear to go with the uniforms. While women will wear dual-tone (black and burgundy) block heels, the male cabin crew will wear comfortable black brogues. The uniforms include pearl earrings and sling bags for female cabin crew.

Manish Malhotra has also designed uniforms for Air India's ground staff, engineers, and security personnel. They are yet to be unveiled.