Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has launched a design competition for its next cabin crew uniform. Around ten Pakistani fashion designers have presented their concepts to a judging panel, which will soon decide on the winning design. Unlike most airline uniform projects, however, PIA has chosen to share all of the proposed designs with the public. Here’s a closer look at the competition.
Prefer watching videos? I also made a video showing all ten Pakistan International Airlines uniform designs and discussing the competition between the designers.
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The current Pakistan International Airlines uniform
Before looking at the new concepts, let’s first take a look at the airline’s current uniform.
Male cabin crew wear a dark suit with a green tie featuring a subtle pattern. The women’s uniform consists of a burgundy tunic and trousers, complemented by a green scarf.
Interestingly, this uniform was also created through a design competition ten years ago. At the time, sixteen designers presented their ideas to the jury. Instead of selecting one overall winner, the judges chose separate winners for four different elements. Sania Maskatiya won the award for the hat and scarf, Nomi Ansari for the women’s uniform, Omer Farooq for the men’s uniform and Yasmeen Shaikh for the coat. The uniform introduced in 2016 therefore became a combination of several winning designs.
Pakistan International Airlines new uniform competition
For the airline’s latest redesign, PIA appears to have followed the same approach. Once again, a group of designers presented their collections during a fashion show. Although ten designers are taking part, there are nine collections because two designers collaborated on a single concept.
Munib Nawaz
ashion designer and entrepreneur Munib Nawaz presented a collection in dark green and brown tones. Despite the understated colour palette, the designs feel creative and distinctive thanks to the striking green checked trim. The women’s blazer is particularly eye-catching, featuring an asymmetric collar that extends into a cape-like detail at the back.
Nawaz is one of Pakistan’s leading fashion designers and has received several international awards, including Best International Men’s Wear Designer at Miami Fashion Week in 2009.
Nomi Ansari
Nomi Ansari, who won the women’s uniform category in 2016, has returned with a new collection. He is well known for his colourful bridal couture and intricate detailing.
His latest airline uniform stays fairly close to the current design. Once again turquoise plays an important role, although this time it is paired with a sand-coloured base instead of burgundy. Printed scarves remain part of the look, while the women’s silhouettes are slightly more tailored.
Ismail Farid
Menswear specialist Ismail Farid focused exclusively on uniforms for male crew members. That alone is refreshing, as airline uniform redesigns often concentrate mainly on women’s fashion while the men’s uniforms receive far less attention.
His more than twenty years of experience in menswear are clearly reflected in the collection. The uniforms are elegant and professional without feeling ordinary. Instead of the traditional plain white pilot shirt, Farid introduced a subtle blue striped version, paired with a navy tie featuring gold details and a dotted pattern.
Deepak Perwani
Deepak Perwani is one of Pakistan’s best-known fashion designers. He launched his label in 1996 and specialises in couture and bridal fashion. In 2014 he was ranked sixth among the world’s leading fashion designers by the Bulgarian Fashion Awards.
His airline collection reminds me of the uniforms Ettore Bilotta once designed for Alitalia. The rich combination of red and green creates a bold yet elegant appearance. This is my personal favourite.
Amir Adnan
Amir Adnan has played an important role in the development of Pakistani menswear, although his fashion house now also designs women’s clothing. His collection for PIA includes both men’s and women’s uniforms in turquoise and light blue.
It is not his first airline project. Adnan has previously designed uniforms for British Airways’ Pakistan operations, AirAsia and several private airlines.
Maheen Khan
Compared with many of the other designers, Maheen Khan opted for a more understated look. The renowned Pakistani fashion and costume designer created several uniforms for both cabin crew and ground staff, drawing inspiration from PIA’s uniforms of the 1950s and 1960s.
The green uniform with the white scarf is intended as the first cabin crew option, while the version with the turquoise scarf serves as an alternative. The designs featuring multicoloured scarves are intended for ground staff. Khan collaborated with Deepak & Fahad, who created the men’s uniforms.
Deepak & Fahad
Deepak & Fahad presented the men’s collection, while the accompanying women’s designs were created by Maheen Khan. Although their fashion house also produces womenswear, the designers are particularly well known for menswear and have received several Designer of the Year awards in Pakistan.
At first glance the uniforms appear fairly simple, but it is the details that make them stand out. The blazer, for example, features a collarless design combined with a modern bandhgala jacket.
Hassan Sheheryar Yasin (HSY)
Fashion designer, television presenter and actor Hassan Sheheryar Yasin, better known as HSY, also presented a collection. Like many of his colleagues, he started his career designing bridal and couture collections before expanding internationally.
His uniforms combine dark blue, dark green and beige, resulting in a formal yet stylish appearance.
Faraz Manan
Faraz Manan’s collection immediately stands out. The dark green base colour is combined with light green piping and striped scarves. It is a bold choice from a designer who is internationally recognised for his luxurious bridal couture featuring lace, embroidery and beadwork.
His designs are worn by many celebrities in India as well as Pakistan.
Generation
Generation is a Pakistani womenswear brand founded in 1983 by Saad and Nosheen Rahman. One of the pioneers of ready-to-wear fashion in Pakistan, the brand has always focused on clothing for working women. For PIA it presented dark green uniforms with turquoise accents.
Pakistan International Airlines new uniform not yet selected
The judging panel will now decide which collection, or perhaps collections, will become the airline’s new uniform. During the previous competition, multiple winners were selected for different garment categories, so the same approach could be used again.
The jury consists mainly of fashion and design professionals, although Naseem Tehrani, who has worked for PIA for 33 years, is also involved.
Looking at the concepts, what strikes me most is how distinctive they all are. There are no standard business suits or predictable colour combinations. Every designer has clearly paid close attention to the details, making the collections a pleasure to explore.
My personal favourite is Deepak Perwani’s collection because of its elegant use of colour. Ultimately, however, appearance is only one part of a successful airline uniform. The final design must also be comfortable enough for cabin crew to wear every day.
Which collection is your favourite?
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Best,
Aileen
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