An Australian fashion designer beloved by celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Lady Gaga, and Hailey Bieber, as well as British royals Princess Beatrice, has been selected as the new uniform designer for the Australian flag carrier Qantas.
The announcement was made on Thursday, nearly nine months after the airline first revealed that it planned to replace its eye-catching ruby red and fuchsia pink color-blocking threads designed by Martin Grant.
The new uniform, the first major redesign in over a decade, will coincide with the launch of Qantas’ ambitious ‘Project Sunrise’ services that will connect Europe and Sydney and Melbourne with first-of-its-kind non-stop flights.
Qantas has already surveyed its workforce of more than 17,000 uniform wearers on what they want out of the new collection, and Rebecca says she’ll use this information to create “something iconic, yet wearable while celebrating the people who make this airline such a beloved part of Australia’s story.”
“This is a defining moment in my career, not just because of the scale of the project, but because of the trust Qantas has placed in me,” Vallance added. “It’s a partnership I am deeply grateful for.”
Qantas hopes to have the new uniform ready to be rolled out by 2027, an ambitious timeline for airline uniforms, especially in recent years, with several major carriers, including British Airways and United Airlines, seeing their new uniform projects stretch on for years after suffering multiple delays.
Rebecca rose to fame in 2011 when she showed her first collection at Paris Fashion Week.
Rebecca has previously worked with Qantas on a short-lived collaboration where she immediately secured the upscale British department store Harvey Nichols as a stockist.
In the years since, the Rebecca Vallance brand has become a staple at other high-end department stores such as Selfridges, Harrods, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus.
Known for her sophisticated and feminine occasionwear, the Rebecca Valance brand has built a loyal following with its luxe and modern silhouettes.
Rebecca has previously collaborated with Qantas on a limited edition sleeper suit and amenity kit that was offered on flights between Sydney and New York after it relaunched following a lengthy pandemic-induced break.
A look back at Qantas uniforms throughout the years…
1948 – 1959
Qantas Empire Airways hires its first nine cabin crew, and this white dress was the airline’s first summer uniform.
1959 – 1964
To mark the arrival of its Boeing 707 jet, Qantas introduced this ‘jungle green’ dress with a collarless fitted jacket and gold buttons.
1971 – 1973
Another new uniform to mark the arrival of a new plane. This time, it was the Boeing 747 that spawned the arrival of this early 1970s uniform.
1974 – 1985
The 1970s saw the Emilio Pucci era take center stage at Qantas with this bright and bold uniform that included a floral print on the female cabin crew dress.
1985 – 1993
Yves Saint Laurent was behind this eye-catching uniform, which introduced a trouser option for female crew members for the first time.
1994 – 2003
The 1990s saw Qantas take a more conservative approach to its uniform with this collaboration between George Cross and Harry Who with a deep navy blue suit and large gold buttons.
2003 – 2014
Peter Morrissey was the designer behind this iconic uniform that featured the Wirriyarra boomerang print. The color palette of the uniform was refreshed in 2008 to coincide with the introduction of the Airbus A380 superjumbo to the Qantas fleet.
2014 – Present
Unveiled in 2013 and introduced a year later, the current Qantas uniform was designed by Martin Grant and features ruby red and Fuschia pink color-blocking.
Despite the bold color choices, the uniform has stood the test of time and is still well-loved by many employees.
I’ve looked at a few photos of these new uniforms and it seems like the pilot guy is wearing a regular men’s suit with the only clue to being a pilot is the wings on his chest where as the female pilot uniform has gold stripes and such as a regular pilot uniform would. I think that is odd. The rest of it is fine I guess but it’s not newsworthy outside of AV geek circles or union grievances.