The frontline employees of the airline recently received photos of United’s new pilot and flight attendant uniforms, which have been officially revealed after a lengthy delay due to the pandemic. The designs of the uniforms have been reworked and employees can now check them out.
United has already revealed several iterations of its designs and has been working on its new uniform project for nearly seven years, signing up Chicago-based menswear outfitters Brooks Brothers and designer Tracy Reese as the first carriers after 2017.
A few disgruntled staffers were upset with what they quickly saw shared online, but the contents of the event were meant to be kept under wraps. When employees were invited to a secret event in mid-2018, they got the first glimpse of the inspired designs from Trek-Star in real life.
Reese Tracey was forced to redesign some of her designs, and in the following year of January, she finally officially revealed the new collection, which included a dark shade of purple, as well as colors like “Gray”, “Amethyst”, “Atlantic”, “Blue”, and “Pacific”.
United had to make some design modifications once again, as a result of the significant feedback from their employees. These changes included the removal of piping on the blazer worn by male flight attendants and the elimination of a grey stripe on the side of the female skirt. It didn’t take long for these adjustments to be implemented, as they were made within a few months.
Despite some negative reviews, the United States was hoping to start large-scale employee testing early in 2020 as the pandemic struck. The project was quickly put on ice and the uniform wear was then struck.
On Thursday, the airline from Chicago revealed a fresh image of the patterns. Prior to that, the carrier had not disclosed any details regarding the new attire.
United has now stuck with a firm that has two shades of blue, which are synonymous with the brand, and has ditched the new color palette of grey and teal. Can you tell us what we can infer from this?
The existing United uniform, which can be seen throughout the collection, also features familiar accents. However, the design elements of Reese’s Tracy in 2018 remain unchanged.
United could potentially reduce and unify their wardrobe by conducting wear tests in the upcoming months. Nevertheless, additional modifications are expected.
The complete implementation is not anticipated until 2025 – a total of nine years after the project was initially declared.
“The airline told us in a statement that United is recognizing them for what it means to them and what it means to our brand, and they are driven by this collection–our customer-facing employees are inspired by these designs.”
The statement further emphasized, “The designs are centered on establishing a contemporary and ageless assortment.” As we transition to a more welcoming and personable brand where Good Guides The Path, brand evolution is a significant component.
We are excited to be on a journey that serves the needs of our current and future employees, and it has been years in the making.