There aren’t many industries today where front-line employees perform work-related duties in a “costume,” which I say with fascination and endearment. Pill box hats, elaborately tied scarves, and fabulous prints adorn the uniforms of hundreds of thousands of airline employees around the world. Viewed as a symbol of prestige, service, and authority, airlines are the flag carriers of their country, and their uniform and service is the first impression for many. From Singapore Airlines to Air Frances, airlines use uniforms to tell its long-standing story by showcasing its evolving style from decade to decade.
Not new to stylish and beautiful frocks, Japan Airlines will soon be introducing a new uniform ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. And, to celebrate, the airline is turning to its fans and loyalists to help select their new look. Their current uniform has been walking the aisles for 7 years now, since the airline retired the JAL and “rising sun” logo in favor of their classic crane.
Fans can select from three complete looks. Each uniform uses similar colors, decorative touches, and elements, so you're really deciding between minor differences. The complete collection for the various workgroups will stem from this look. For women, you'll find three different one-piece dresses and three different men's suits. Each option dons a dark blue base, red accents, gold hardware, and a floral scarf.
Option A
Option B
Option C
The Takeaway
I will be casting my vote for Option A, which I find to be a sophisticated balance of form and function. For the female dress, I was drawn to the use of the fun red and white floral pattern, used tastefully in the scarf and on the sleeve. I see this dress showing well for the airlines growing Hawaii network. For the men’s suit, I’m fond of the silver tie and bold red stripe along the left lapel. As a collection, the subtle pinstripe and simplicity is classic and chic.
How to Vote
To cast your vote, visit this dedicated landing page here, scroll to the bottom, and include a 100 word comment about why that’s your top pick. What’s fun is that each uniform option has a 360 view too, so you don’t miss a single detail. While the website can be viewed in English, unfortunately, voting can only be casted on the Japanese version of the site. Voting ends on February 22, 2019.