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.

FMI: www.delta.com