Air India May Introduce Manish Malhotra-Designed Uniforms After 60 Years Of Saree: Report

After a remarkable 60-year tradition of adorning sarees, Air India is preparing to embrace a fresh and contemporary look. The airline is poised for a sartorial transformation, moving away from its iconic sarees and embarking on a new era of style.

A recent report from the Hindustan Times suggests that Air India is considering a change in uniforms for its female cabin crew members.?

Screenshot/Air India

Traditionally, the airline's flight attendants have been attired in sarees for six decades.

However, there are indications that this long-standing tradition may be set to change with the introduction of a more modern and contemporary uniform, possibly by November.

The updated attire will feature churidars for female cabin crew members and suits for their male counterparts. According to reports from HT, renowned fashion designer Manish Malhotra will design these new uniforms. However, he refrained from providing any comments on the matter due to a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).

“Churidars will be one of the options for women, and the male crew members will wear suits,”?an unidentified official told HT.?“The sarees will take a back seat. When I say this, I mean they may be entirely taken away from the set of uniforms.”

“Various options were given to the airline, which included ready-to-wear sarees that look like sarees but are not draped like the traditional ones. However, the management has not finalized them,”?a second official claimed.

The new uniforms are expected to feature deep red, aubergine, and gold colors, reflecting Air India's signature style.?

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Additionally, Vistara may consider adopting these uniforms following the merger.

Air India's CEO and Managing Director, Campbell Wilson, mentioned that the airline's updated appearance will be unveiled once the new Airbus A350 aircraft arrives, which is anticipated in October or November.

Air India has not officially confirmed this change yet.

The airline's female cabin crew has been known for wearing sarees, a tradition dating back to 1962 when JRD Tata replaced the previous uniform of a skirt, jacket, and hat with the iconic saree.?

These sarees were initially sourced from Binny Mills, and to this day, Air India's flight attendants have the option to wear either the traditional saree or a tunic with pants in the same color.

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