Qantas Unveils New Uniform Designed By Acclaimed Australian Designer Martin Grant

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Apr 16, 2013, 04:07 ET

SYDNEY, April 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Qantas unveiled a new uniform, the work of acclaimed Australian designer Martin Grant, to be worn by 12,600 uniformed employees starting early 2014.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said he was proud to launch a new uniform design for Qantas – the first in ten years.

"This is a new look for a new chapter for Qantas," said Mr. Joyce. "The new uniform speaks of Australian style on the global stage."

"The design brief was to provide a unique, functional and durable uniform, suitable for a premium airline operating across Australia and around the world."

"After an extensive selection and design process, Martin Grant has created a uniform that is fresh, modern and bold – a uniform that our employees are going to enjoy wearing."

"Martin's interpretation of the brief was developed in collaboration with Qantas employees, and the end result is a stylish and comfortable collection that will help our people feel their best no matter where they are in the world."

Martin has designed 35 elegant garments for female and male employees. Against French navy suiting and white shirting, variations of the Qantas red – ruby red and fuchsia pink – are featured in diagonal stripes, recreating the idea of the Qantas triangle, across tops and dresses for women and on ties for men.

Female employees will wear a combination of a dress, tops, a suit and a trench overcoat, accompanied by a stylish scarf and a trilby hat in a knitted fabric made from recycled bottle tops. The male suiting is neat and structured.

Fifteen types of fabrics have been used, including Australian wool for the suits and cotton blends for the shirts, all meeting the needs of a very active frontline workforce. The range has been designed for high levels of comfort to suit a range of different work environments and climates.

Martin Grant said he was honored to have been involved in such a significant project.

"Qantas is a well recognized and loved Australian brand, and one which has one of the strongest international logos," he said.

"My inspiration for the uniform came from Qantas' striking logo – the powerful red triangle and the flying kangaroo. I have always loved the Qantas logo as it's very nostalgic for me."

"In the initial stages of design, I started thinking about things associated with Australia and I kept coming back to the Qantas logo and the image that we all have of Qantas. There is a huge amount of pride attached to Qantas and it made sense to concentrate on the Qantas logo."

"I strived for something simple and durable, while adding a bold color palette. I wanted to create a uniform that reflected the glamour of flying and something that would suit every body shape."

The development process saw Martin engage regularly with the Qantas Uniform Panel - a group of 12 select representatives from each of Qantas' customer-facing uniformed departments including cabin crew and ground employees. The group was vital in providing feedback on functionality and wearability.

Qantas international and domestic cabin crew and ground employees will be wearing the new design in early 2014.

Key facts and figures:

Approximately 400,000 garments will be produced
Approximately 350,000 meters of fabric will be used
35 styles designed for male and females
15 fabrics have been selected including Premium Super Fine Australian Merino Wool in the suiting
Uniforms will be delivered to 85 different locations in 21 countries

For additional information and images, visit: www.qantasnewsroom.com.au

About Qantas Airways
Qantas is the only airline offering A380 service from the U.S. on select non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Sydney and to Melbourne. The Qantas A380 features aircraft interiors designed by internationally renowned industrial designer and Qantas Creative Director Marc Newson. Qantas has also introduced refurbished interiors on selected Boeing 747-400 aircraft (B747) offering more customers a premium flying experience, including state-of-the-art Airbus A380-style seats and in-flight entertainment units. Providing 37 flights per week from the U.S., Qantas offers 34 nonstop flights from Los Angeles (to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane), daily flights from Dallas/Fort Worth to Brisbane/Sydney, daily services from JFK via Los Angeles and three services per week from Honolulu to Sydney.