Bangalore, 28 September 2023: Air India today announced its partnership with celebrated fashion designer Manish Malhotra to design new uniforms for over 10,000 Air India employees on the frontline, including cabin crew, cockpit crew, ground and security staff.
This is a further step in the manifestation of Air India’s new global brand identity as part of its ongoing modernisation programme. Air India expects to commence rolling out the new look for its uniformed employees by the end of 2023.
Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India, said: “Air India is delighted to be collaborating with Manish Malhotra to realise our shared ambition of representing the very best of a vibrant, bold, and progressive India on the world stage. We are working closely with Manish and his team to combine elements of our brand, our heritage and our culture, together with the unique requirements of the airline environment, for what we hope will be a fresh and exciting new look that supports and represents the new Air India.”
Manish Malhotra, a steadfast supporter and traveller of Air India, said: “It’s an absolute honour to collaborate with Air India, our national flying ambassadors. Reimagining their uniforms is the onset of a journey of joy and collaboration, and I am excited to embark on it. Our shared ideology is simple yet profound: to evolve without erasing, to modernise without forgetting. Together, we aim to intertwine tradition with the future, crafting uniforms where comfort meets authenticity, wrapped in timeless elegance.”
Malhotra and his team have begun meeting Air India’s frontline staff, conducting discussions and fitting sessions with them to better understand their specialised needs.
Malhotra’s prolific career spanning over 30 years as a couturier, costume stylist, and entrepreneur, has seen him revolutionise the fashion landscape in India. While his designs are characterised by their use of rich fabrics and bold colours, his clothes are known for their perfect fit. He has styled and designed costumes for over a thousand films, including some of the biggest blockbusters in Indian cinema, besides dressing A-list celebrities from around the world.
About Air India:
Founded by the legendary JRD Tata, Air India pioneered India’s aviation sector. Since its first flight on October 15, 1932, Air India has built an extensive domestic network with non-stop flights to cities around the world, across the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far East, South-East Asia, Australia, and the Gulf. After 69 years as a government-owned enterprise, Air India and Air India Express were welcomed back into the Tata group in January 2022.
Air India is navigating through a major five-year transformation roadmap under the aegis of Vihaan.AI, with an ambition to become a world class airline with an Indian heart. The first phase of this transformation, the taxi phase was recently concluded, and focused on fixing the basics. These included bringing back to service many long grounded aircraft, addition of talent across flying and ground functions, rapid upgradation of technology and strengthening of customer care initiatives amongst others. A member of Star Alliance, the largest global airline consortium of leading international airlines, Air India offers seamless connectivity and facilities to passengers all over the world.
