Although it is not as pretty and fashion-forward as the new AEGEAN Airlines uniform collection, the Distinctly Delta Uniform Collection has the merit of “paying homage to the airline’s brand identity and heritage,” (what else could it do?) as the company emphasized in a recent announcement.
The new Delta uniforms, created with employee feedback and in partnership with GPS Apparel by Gap Inc., seem to follow the classic, somehow outdated, fashion styles instead of embracing more playful, contemporary design elements that other airlines tender. But then again, Delta partnered with Gap and not a designer label like AEGEAN, which employed Zeus+Δione for their classy and modern looks that remind of a SciFi outfit (every time I board AEGEAN, Picard’s “engage” comes to mind).
Apparently, it took Delta and GPS Apparel by Gap “more than a year and a half of development and design” to come up with the Distinctly Delta uniform collection, which is anything but modern. Still, it has its merits:
- The uniform prototypes include deep navy blues and rich burgundy with vivid red and white highlights, a return to Delta’s brand identity and tradition.
- Made from OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100-certified textiles – safe for human ecology and legally compliant.
- Purpose-built for each division and role, with functional elements to help employees do their jobs well.
- Designers used Delta’s widget logo in subtle and obvious ways throughout the collection.
Creating the Distinctly Delta uniform collection involved gathering feedback from over 20,000 Delta employees through job shadows, focus groups, surveys, and interviews. This valuable input is now being utilized to develop prototypes that prioritize comfort, modernity, durability, and functionality.
But while the uniforms are too conventional (boring – even Jetstar has more fun uniforms, which I missed in February, as I was travelling, but I will talk about tomorrow) – and this is just a personal opinion – all is not lost: the airline plans to conduct thorough wear testing for each uniform garment in the coming months. This will allow Delta employees to have a say in the fit, form, and function of the new collection. The introduction of new uniform pieces for all workgroups is not anticipated for the next few years. This only tells us that Delta is not confident enough in the designs.