Delta Air Lines has released the first pictures of a new prototype uniform for frontline employees, including flight attendants and airport customer service agents, that embraces the carrier’s rich heritage and ditches modern colors like ‘Purple Plum’ for deep navy blues and rich burgundy.
The Atlanta-based carrier has been secretly working on the new uniform collection since 2022, with designers from iconic American brand Gap Inc shadowing employees, holding focus groups and carrying surveys in their quest to design a uniform that is both fashionable and practical.
Delta says it expects to start large-scale wear tests of the prototypes later this year and the final looks could change significantly as the designers gather more feedback from the airline’s 70,000 uniform wearing employees.
Along with embracing Delta’s traditional color palette, the designers are also incorporating the iconic widget logo throughout the collection.
The widget has been a part of Delta’s identity since 1959 and it is said to represent the “spirit and culture of Delta: the flat base symbolizes the airline’s solid foundation, while the top portion points skyward – a reminder to always keep climbing.”
To avoid the botched rollout of Delta’s ill-fated Zac Posen-designed uniform in 2018, the airline says all of the new garments will be made of OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100-certified fabrics.
Delta has faced multiple lawsuits from the Zac Posen era uniforms over accusations that toxic chemicals were used in the manufacturing process of the garments. A significant number of employees complained of severe allergic reactions to wearing the uniform, and Delta was forced to allow flight attendants to wear off-the-rack ‘white and black’ uniforms for several years.
Last year, Delta officially ditched Posen’s ‘Passport Plum’ hue when the airline stopped manufacturing any new garments in the color.
Delta warns that the new look uniform won’t be rolled out for several years, with SVP of customer experience design Ranjan Goswami promising that the airline was “committed to using this time to listen, learn and iterate as we work toward a new look”.
Nice to see a red dress and jacket back
The gold triangle widget-like-but-not-quite emblem pin is odd, like something out of Star Trek
The current widget is iconic, and is a nod to Northwest Airlines which acquired Delta back in 2008 (the state of Georgia had put a poison pill in a 2005 bailout requiring the name and HQ remain, hence why it’s named and located as it is). You will notice the widget points northwest, intentionally.
It looks horrendous!! Delta has really slipped ever since they got rid of their navy blue, white, and red uniforms. That look was classy and everyone looked in unison. The Zac Posen uniforms were a disaster and this look isn’t any better! Whoever is approving these looks clearly has no sense of fashion or even common sense of what is flattering for all body types
Just Horrible! The Richard Tyler navy, red and white uniform was classic Delta. The blouses and a few pieces needed updating. The dark navy was best with the dark blue stipes on sleeve had a professional appearance. Please go back to the Richard Tyler unform with updates. The bright red dress was a favorite. Please don’t do this again. A bad decision.
Its a small improvement to the current purple and gray uniforms. Dark blue and red are Delta’s brand colors and a uniform that reflects that is where to start. Easy. Now, designing these threads with the logo in a stylish, classy and functional form that is exclusive to that airlines brand and not one that looks like all the others is where the problem is. All US airlines uniforms are not that great. American Airlines has a decent uniform and it’s reflective of the carriers brand. United on the other hand is a confused mess of airline branding the absolute worst!! Alaska Airlines….I can’t even begin to explain what should happen with those threads, they are wrong!
Northwest did NOT acquire Delta…..if it had … Why did the name stay Delta ,??? It was a merger with Delta as the surviving carrier….I know I worked for Delta for 42 years!!!!!