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British Airways unveils new crew uniforms from Ozwald Boateng

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Ozwald Boateng’s new uniform for British Airways staff has finally been revealed. It is the end of an era for BA’s famous Stephen Jones hat worn by female cabin crew.

(In reality, the hats have been out of service for almost two years now, thanks to the restructuring of BA’s crew fleets.)

Boateng’s ‘modern contemporary twist’ will transform uniforms for all 30,000+ British Airways employees, not just cabin crew, who wear a uniform as part of their role. It is the first new uniform since 2003, when Julien Macdonald designed the current uniform.

BA uniform Ozwald Boateng

The culmination of a four year design and testing phase has seen it trialled by 1,500 staff on the ground and in the air, on secret test flights. The fact that images only leaked late last night is a credit to how well British Airways staff have managed to keep this project under wraps.

The new uniform range was originally meant to be ready in time for BA’s Centenary celebrations in 2019. That didn’t happen, of course – and a global pandemic means the rollout was further delayed, until this week.

Boateng joins a long list of famous names to design British Airways staff uniforms. These include Paul Costelloe, Roland Klein, Baccart Weatherall, Hardy Amies.

Boateng launched his first womenswear collection in 2018 and also turned Givenchy Homme around back in the mid-noughties.

The British Airways uniform is not his first airline project. He also worked with Virgin Atlantic on their amenity kits which launched back in 2004. Of course, an amenity kit is far less complex than new uniforms for thousands of staff.

As part of the reveal, British Airways CEO and Chairman Sean Doyle said:

“Our uniform is an iconic representation of our brand, something that will carry us into our future, representing the very best of modern Britain and helping us deliver a great British original service for our customers. From the very start this has been about our people. We wanted to create a uniform collection that our people are proud to wear and with the help of over 1,500 colleagues, we are confident that we have delivered this.”

BA uniform Ozwald Boateng three piece suit

Trials and tribulations

Launching new uniforms isn’t without risk. US airlines have faced successive calls from staff to recall various new uniforms which have allegedly been causing health problems amongst crew. American Airlines and Delta have both faced criticism, whilst Alaska Airlines actually recalled its uniform in 2013 in the midst of an employee-led lawsuit, which eventually found there was no reliable evidence that the uniforms were causing health problems.

Still, uniforms are intensely personal when you consider how much they are worn by staff, who will all have their own individual preferences for style, fit and material.

To try and avoid that sort of snafu, British Airways has been trialling the uniforms to ensure that the materials are durable and comfortable. 50 workshops with staff have been held throughout the design process, from design workshops, prototype feedback and garment trials.

More than 1,500 colleagues across the airline took part in 50 workshops to help ensure the garments suitability, from design workshops to prototype feedback and garment trials, helping create an iconic collection that will stand the test of time.

Over the past six months, British Airways has been putting the uniforms to the test in secret trials on cargo flights throughout Europe as well as on engineering ferry flights. They’ve been tested in all sorts of conditions, including in deluge showers and even – I’ve been told – for a session in BA’s walk-in freezers at caterer DO&CO to trial them in sub-zero temperatures.

BA uniform Ozwald Boateng three piece suit

What options does BA’s new uniform include?

As previously mentioned, the new design re-imagines uniforms across the business, not just cabin crew. That includes pilots, engineering staff, gate agents and more:

“The collection features a tailored three-piece suit for men with regular and slim fit style trousers and dress, skirt and trouser options for women, as well as a modern jumpsuit – which is an airline first. A tunic and hijab option has also been created for the global carrier.”

According to British Airways, the new uniform features design features inspired by BA’s history as an airline:

“The airwave pattern that features across the entire uniform collection including jackets, t-shirts, buttons and ties was inspired by the movement of air over an aircraft wing. The jacquard fabric across all of the tailored garments features a variation of the airline’s iconic speedmarque.”

British Airways hasn’t yet revealed all the variants of the new uniform, which you can see throughout this article. For example, a dress is also available for female cabin crew. You can see a closer look in this video:

For now, the uniforms will remain gender-specific, although I see no reason why BA can’t adjust its policy to allow staff to wear their uniform of choice in the future, as Virgin Atlantic now does.

BA uniform Ozwald Boateng pilot

What do the crew think?

With impeccable timing, I had the unique experience of flying back from Toronto on the evening that the new uniforms leaked on Twitter, and I overheard a couple of initial reactions from crew who had seen the leaked photos as I was making my way through Heathrow Airport.

Remember that the uniform was only officially revealed this morning. All crew except the 1,500 involved in trials have only seen the uniform from the leaked images from a slideshow.

One recurring comment, particularly from female crew, is that Ozwald Boateng is a “man’s designer, so it was never going to work.” There seems to particular aversion to the idea that the uniform has been designed by Boateng, whose focus has historically been on menswear and tailoring.

I hope the crew warm to the new uniforms, because I genuinely think they are stylish and upgrade BA’s looks.

It will take time for staff to see and try on new uniforms, let alone get used to how they work in practice. For now, only 5% of BA staff have tried on the new uniforms, so it is probably too early to come to a conclusion.

Conclusion

BA’s new uniforms have been a long time coming and – frankly – a long time overdue. The baggy Julien Macdonald uniform, first introduced almost 20 years ago, has long looked dated and been need of an overhaul, so this is a welcome step in modernising and updating BA’s brand image, particularly given how important crew are to the overall impression of the airline.

My personal view is that they look smart and modern. Whilst the initially leaked photos didn’t look great, I have to say it looks a great deal better in the images supplied by British Airways which I have included throughout this article, and I am looking forward to seeing it in person.

BA’s new uniforms will gradually roll out over the coming months, with all staff due to be re-kitted by the Summer. Engineers and ground operations agents will be the first to wear them, starting in the coming weeks, whilst cabin crew, pilots and check-in agents will follow.

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Comments (153)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • BajiNahid says:
    6 Jan6 January 10:58

    “British Airways has an opportunity to redefine what it means to be British”

    That video really makes me cringe for BA.

    why don’t we treat our customers well, be honest with them, treat staff well, pay them well. That is what it means to be British none of this fabricated tosh!

    In all honesty, folk don’t care about the uniform apart from a select few who do. Focus on the service, the real impact on customers. Not what cabin crew wear.

  • bob says:
    6 Jan6 January 11:00

    Excellent to see that BA have gone with a black designer like Virgin – very forward thinking. Who is the only black designer on Savile row I hear

    • Rob says:
      6 Jan6 January 11:28

      The Huntsman MD (not Pierre, the day to day boss) is very much non-white and you don’t get more establishment than Huntsman.

    • Doommonger says:
      6 Jan6 January 12:33

      Big it up for me man Ozwald, givin large to de Harmonsworth Massive.

      • Londonsteve says:
        6 Jan6 January 15:27

        Is that not a bit tone deaf? The bloke’s done a good job, the product is in no way redolent of what you’re trying to imply, or you’re just taking the michael because he’s not establishment enough for you. By the way, Ali G was 20 years ago which does rather date you, sunshine.

        • The Original David says:
          6 Jan6 January 21:23

          I thought it was the funniest comment I’ve seen all day…

          • Gordon says:
            7 Jan7 January 09:30

            +1 But some people have had a sense of humour bypass and also have negativity as part of their DNA. So sad….

          • Londonsteve says:
            7 Jan7 January 16:40

            What I find sad is that such a lame attempt at humour that can easily be construed as offensive, not just to the tailor in question but an entire community could be considered funny. As for negativity, you’ll notice my positive assessment of the new uniforms, no doubt.

          • Gordon says:
            7 Jan7 January 18:39

            The cabin crew can arrive for work in flip flops shorts and tee shirts as far as I’m concerned as long as the cost saving on a designer uniform keeps my air fare at a realistic price. I have seen many many negative comments regarding the increase of taxes/Surcharges etc with BA over many months now so that should be addressed before anything else, As for your assessment of the new uniform I would have thought you would be happier with a more cost effective air fare than paying indirectly for what I can only consider will be a large sum for the allocation the these uniforms. There seems to be more cash rich people in this world than I thought.
            My comment on page 6 sums how I feel.

    • Charles Martel says:
      6 Jan6 January 13:47

      Why is the designers race important?

      • Novice says:
        6 Jan6 January 15:51

        True. In my opinion, there is nothing more racist than actually taking away from peoples’ efforts, achievements and talents by just talking about the colour of their skin. Anyone can be successful if they really want.

        For example, I’m not a Sunak fan but surely he should be judged or talked about when discussing his policies etc. Nobody should be giving him credit, merit or judgement based on his skin, heritage etc.

        • Rob says:
          6 Jan6 January 15:57

          I don’t think anyone does. It’s a great sign for this country that a Hindu can become PM and no-one even bothers to mention it.

          Credit where its due – the Conservative party gets through three women PMs and a Hindu but Labour manages to get two Kier’s without a woman or non-white person in sight.

          • Novice says:
            6 Jan6 January 16:11

            I agree. Although a lot of people claim Labour are woke. I think they are more backwards than conservatives in actual sense. And your point reflects this.

            I’m no tory nor keen on labour but if it weren’t for nepotism, cronyism and their non-sensical economics policies, I reckon I’d be a tory. LOL

    • jj says:
      6 Jan6 January 16:01

      Oh. That’s disappointing, @bob. I thought Boateng was selected because he’s talented and creative, not because he’s black and thus created a forward-looking corporate image. If you’re right, I’ll have to negatively re-appraise my understanding of his skills.

    • Lady London says:
      7 Jan7 January 08:28

      Yeah that will tick lots of politically correct boxes won’t it.

      Shame about the female-intended uniform though. Very unforgiving.

  • Isabel says:
    6 Jan6 January 11:24

    What a strange PR video – dark, unreveiling and full of drivel that actually doesn’t say anything about the uniforms themselves. Airline uniforms should be eye catching (VS red) or either be totally full of national character like SQ or EK. The either extreme is the new TK with grey and red or IB uniform which is elegant, no scarves but clear accents of the red and yellow. A bit disappointed with BA as this seems so dark and not a lot of fun to wear in the summer or if you are based in a tropical destination. Feels like they’ve taken it a bit too seriously.

    • VALittleRed says:
      6 Jan6 January 11:33

      Have to agree, nothing wrong with serious and professional vs VS more fun vibe. But yes perhaps including a bit more colour of the UK flag making it slightly less dark overall whilst still keeping it classy would look better. However hope they can fix the other operational issues involving service, baggage, punctuality, catering, lounges etc which are I would argue slightly more pressing.

  • Mutley says:
    6 Jan6 January 11:50

    Looks fine to me, at least the blokes will be wearing strides!

  • vlcnc says:
    6 Jan6 January 12:11

    I don’t think I have been as enthusiastic about anything BA has done in years! Genuinely beautiful. Even the engineers overalls looks cool! This is genuinely sleek, timeless and futuristic – not earth shattering but this is inline with being understated inline with BA’s brand something as a branding designer I appreciate. I loathe the previous Julien MacDonald outfits, they looked cheap, ill-fitting and made women in particular look frumpy like they’d rolled through a M&S formal wear section on a bad day. MacDonald was a fashion designer more accustomed to making sparkly dresses, was relatively young, new and inexperienced not whats needed when designing a uniform like this – a tailor like Boateng is actually exactly what’s needed. A tailor can design fashion, but not the other way around as it is unique and very skilled way of creating clothing. Of course how it is implemented will be key to how smart it looks in application – BA need to make sure not cheap out on the materials especially over the years, but I suspect Boateng given his prestige will want to oversee this properly with his name attached to it certainly earlier on. Rhys mentions the lack of images of all the options, the video while slick misses a trick by not communicating how forward and progressive the uniform overall is with all its options that include the diversity of BA today – if this was Virgin Atlantic we’d be hearing ALL about it.

    Generally feel like BA is on the up to be honest, and quality is being reintroduced after years of cheapening. This Boateng uniform, the DO&CO catering , complimentary snack in economy short-haul, even the buy-on-board partnership with Kerridge – all seems in the right direction and more coherent with the brand BA want to project of quality.

    • Mutley says:
      6 Jan6 January 13:05

      I too got really worked up and a bit teary when I saw the fabulous new designs, though the Kerridge reference is a bit incongruous with the rest of the look I think.

      • Save East Coast Rewards says:
        6 Jan6 January 14:27

        I’d rather pre-order a pie and some sandwiches from Speedbird Cafe than have the CE afternoon tea. Even the pre-order champagne is better than the stuff they serve in CE. The main drawback about economy now is that the good stuff is only pre-order. The stuff you can buy via the on-board wifi is limited.

      • vlcnc says:
        6 Jan6 January 14:34

        Again the point is understated rather than superstar polish and also there does seem to be be some effort going into quality – like Kerridge’s pies are made in his own kitchen not in a regular industrial food line. Same with these uniforms by Boateng – according to the BBC, there will be two fit styles, regular and slim, off the shelf. But crucially staff will be able to book in for a fitting to get them altered more bespokely to ensure more tailored fit which currently isn’t done at all – that should ensure people look a lot smarter and more slick, than the current slovenly unkempt and messy look that is common but also largely due to really terribly cut and ill fitting designs.

    • BAGGL (ashamedly) genuinely says:
      6 Jan6 January 18:54

      Swallowed the pill… you are clearly a BA mis-manager…. What a nonsense.

  • Joe says:
    6 Jan6 January 13:09

    Generally like it. I’d wear the engineering jacket! The red ties/accents do feel a little more Iberia than BA though.

  • A says:
    6 Jan6 January 13:39

    I probably still have in storage somewhere the Ozwald Boateng cufflinks, socks, and travel wallet that were designed for VS upper class. A lovely shade of purple (or red if you preferred that one)

  • Save East Coast Rewards says:
    6 Jan6 January 14:19

    I just did a search on Google ‘BA Chelsea lounge’ and for me the HfP review was the first thing that popped up. Results vary on Google depending on many factors. It’s good marketing for them because it mentions Krug in the headline. BA/AA just conned all the bloggers by drastically cutting down on the offering a few days after it opened. Why not edit the headline and the article to show that what they promised that day is not what they delivered? Maybe I’ll call it the Starmer lounge, had high hopes but turned out uninspiring.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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