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To celebrate their twentieth anniversary, the employees of Jetstar Airways have received new uniforms. The budget airline collaborated with Australian fashion designer Genevieve Smart for this purpose. And I must say, it’s quite an improvement.
Old uniforms Jetstar Airways
Before we take a look at the new uniforms, let’s first review what the employees have been wearing up to now.
The clothing is predominantly black, combined with orange details. Personally, I don’t find these colors appealing together. The contrast is stark, making the already non-representative orange color stand out.
New uniforms for Australian Jetstar Airways
Over the past 12 months, designer Genevieve Smart (pictured in the center above) has worked with 40 Jetstar pilots, cabin crew, and airport team members to develop a new clothing package.
For the new package, Smart drew inspiration from the sky, which is evident in the various shades of blue. She completely moved away from the black base color. The collection was also intended to evoke a vacation feel without appearing unprofessional. Therefore, the bright orange color has been replaced with a slightly softer shade and incorporated into a graphic star print seen on the dresses and blouses.
According to Stephanie Tully, CEO of the Jetstar Group, the uniform represents a new era for the airline.
“We listened to our people and wanted to create a uniform together that reflects how far we’ve come as we enter our third decade of existence. With the help of Genevieve Smart, the newly designed collection is suitable for everyone and gives our crew more freedom to choose what they want to wear. (…) Our new uniform arrives as we celebrate our twentieth anniversary in May and contributes to our investments in new aircraft, new routes, and new cabins for our international widebody fleet, allowing customers to fly more frequently to more places for less.”
Like every modern airline these days, Jetstar has also found a solution for the old uniforms. A recycling company will process the discarded textiles into new products.
Improvement
I don’t find the new uniforms particularly spectacular. Smart claims to have been inspired by the sky for the collection, but we’ve heard this before. Just about every designer who incorporates blue into a collection for aviation personnel says this. It seems more like a consequence than a cause. Dark blue has been used for years in representative corporate clothing. Only now can you say that the view in the airplane was your inspiration.
I can understand that for a collection like that of Azerbaijan Airlines. They have incorporated not only dark blue but also medium and light blue into the uniforms. That’s a more realistic color palette when inspired by the sky.
Aside from that, I think the new uniforms of Jetstar Airways are an improvement. But that’s mainly in comparison to the old clothing. The new print and softer colors make the whole look friendlier and less harsh on the eyes. The staff will have to wait a bit longer, though. From late 2024, the 5000 employees will receive the new clothing.
Best regards,
Aileen