Chapter 11 Never Looked So Good
Aiming to "evoke the
time when air travel was glamorous and sophisticated, yet with a
contemporary look and feel," on Monday Delta Air Lines
unveiled a new look for its flight attendants, customer
service agents, and Crown Room Club representatives.
The new uniforms, designed by fashion guru Richard Tyler, were
previously unveiled during the Fall 2005 New York Fashion Week (an
event to which ANN staffers were notoriously absent and uninvited.)
The official Richard Tyler Collection for Delta is meant to be
"both fashionable and functional, and the line includes
clothing, outerwear and accessories featuring "the Delta color
palette" -- navy blue and red, supplemented with gold, platinum and
red accents.
"Our employees look absolutely amazing in Richard Tyler's
Collection for Delta," said Delta Marketing VP Joanne Smith. "His
timeless design and elegance combined with a stylish and
sophisticated new look further enhances Delta's image as a
contemporary classic. Richard's collection is truly runway-ready.
We hope our customers will enjoy our new look just as much as we
do."
Effective May 1, Delta's female employees will be able to sport
that "timeless design and elegance" with specially-crafted blazers,
blouses, pants, skirts, wrap dresses -- including a signature "Red
Dress" for flight attendants -- peacoat, felt hat, silk scarves and
pocket squares. Delta's male employees can look forward to wearing
blazers, regular and French Cuff dress shirts, reversible
all-weather coats, and a reversible black bucket hat.
"The challenge of designing a uniform for air travel is to
ensure that it is practical as well as stylish," said Richard
Tyler, "and I'm proud to have met that challenge, working with
Delta to create a look that blends modern comfort and wearability
with refined style."
How the new look "blends" with Chapter 11 bankruptcy is another
matter. At a time when Delta is struggling to emerge from through
labor cutbacks, pay concessions,
and (arguably) morale-boosting activities such as asking employees to volunteer to clean
planes on their off-duty time... the Associated Press
reports the carrier is spending an average of $1,000 for each of
the 20,000 employees who will soon sport a newer, more fashionable
appearance.
According to the AP, Delta views the uniforms as another
way to boost employee morale, as well as a way to create a new,
more vibrant image to customers -- something the carrier's previous
subdued business-grey uniforms perhaps failed to convey.
To be fair, Delta commissioned the new uniforms in 2004 -- when
bankruptcy was merely a looming possibility, instead of a harsh
reality.