Airline uniform supplier: elegance and professionalism for your crews

Esthis is an airline uniform supplier: we design and manufacture uniforms for flight attendants, stewards, airline pilots and ground staff. We support every airline from the design of the wardrobe to delivery and restocking, with one priority: every uniform must carry your brand identity, from the check-in desk to the cabin.

Why is the uniform the mirror of an airline’s image?

The uniform is the first brand touchpoint a passenger sees, even before the aircraft. In commercial aviation, the uniforms of flight attendants and stewards express the personality of the airline: luxury and prestige for some, energy and friendliness for others.

Major airlines understood this long ago. Air France entrusts its collections to leading fashion names: the current uniform of its flight attendants and stewards was designed by Christian Lacroix and has been worn since 2005, according to the « Créations » page of Air France Corporate. Singapore Airlines turned the sarong kebaya of its cabin crew, designed by Pierre Balmain in 1968, into a symbol recognised around the world. These examples show that a well-designed uniform contributes to the imagery of air travel and makes the experience more reassuring for passengers.

• Welcome: the uniform makes crews immediately identifiable to passengers, on the ground and on board.
• Trust: well-presented clothing conveys a positive image of safety and rigour.
• Consistency: colours, cuts and accessories extend your visual identity.

What are our commitments as an aviation uniform supplier?

We commit to three things: quality fabrics, expertise in the aviation industry and personalisation to your brand identity. These are the criteria airlines cite most often when choosing a supplier, and we explain them in detail in our guide on how to choose airline uniforms.

Quality and durability of fabrics

A flight attendant’s uniform is worn for long hours, on night flights, in a pressurised cabin and in climates that change from one stopover to the next. We select fabrics that keep their shape after many washes, resist creasing and stay comfortable throughout the flight.

Which criteria should guide the choice of fabrics?

• Durability: crease resistance and dimensional stability after repeated washing.
• Thermal comfort: breathable fabrics suited to the differences between the cabin, the apron and stopovers.
• Safety for the wearer: favour certified fabrics, for example under the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 label, which tests for harmful substances (see our page on aircrew uniform textile standards).
• Care: machine-washable garments or garments compatible with industrial laundering.

Know-how and expertise in aviation clothing

Our designers know the specific needs of cabin roles: freedom of movement in the aisle, pockets designed for cabin tools, garments that are quick to put on during a short turnaround. This expertise in the service of crews makes the difference between an elegant suit and a uniform genuinely designed for working conditions.

Personalisation to your brand identity

Every airline has its signature colour, its logo and its style. We translate your brand guidelines into a wardrobe: shades, badges, printed scarves and finishes are designed to represent your brand.

Which uniforms for cabin crew, pilots and ground staff?

Our range covers every role, from the flight deck to the check-in desk. Each line combines style and functionality.

Flight attendant and steward uniforms

A flight attendant’s uniform usually consists of a fitted jacket, a skirt or trousers, a blouse and coordinated accessories. We offer elegant cuts that allow real freedom of movement during service. The steward’s uniform follows the same codes with a structured jacket, a shirt and a tie or waistcoat; distinctive details make the cabin manager easy to recognise. For detailed examples, see our air hostess uniform page and our cabin crew uniform page.

Pilot uniform: tradition, functionality and prestige

The airline pilot uniform remains one of the most codified: double-breasted or single-breasted jacket, stripes showing rank (four for the captain, three for the first officer), cap and wings. We respect these codes while providing the comfort needed on long-haul flights: discover our airline pilot uniform collection for the flight deck.

Ground staff uniforms

Ground handling, check-in and gate agents are often the passenger’s first contact at the airport. Their wardrobe extends the airline’s image across the airport, with garments suited to work in the terminal and on the apron. See our ground handling agent uniforms and gate agent uniforms.

Coordinated accessories

Accessories complete the look and strengthen recognition of the airline (see our cabin crew uniform accessories):

• Scarves and silk squares in the airline’s colours
• Ties, belts and pocket squares
• Badges, insignia, pins and pilot wings
• Gloves, hats and caps
• Coats and raincoats for the apron

How can you personalise your airline’s uniforms?

Personalisation takes place in three stages: colours and fabrics, logo integration, then the design of the garments. Each stage is approved with your teams before moving on to the next.

• Colours and fabrics: we start from your brand guidelines to build a consistent palette, taking into account how shades look under cabin lighting.
• Logo and branding: the logo is placed on jackets, scarves or badges, with a discreet or bold finish.
• Bespoke designs: we design exclusive garments, produce prototypes, then organise fittings with a panel of crew members before series manufacturing.

What are the uniform trends in civil aviation?

Three trends shape the industry today: a priority on comfort, the arrival of technical fabrics and a modernisation of styles. Airlines are looking for a balance between tradition and modernity.

Comfort on long flights

Crews expect garments that stay comfortable after twelve hours in the air. Several airlines now give cabin crew the choice between skirt and trousers, as well as more relaxed cuts.

Innovative technical fabrics

Stretch, breathable and crease-resistant fabrics are increasingly used. The example of Delta Air Lines shows how important this is: after the launch of its collection designed by Zac Posen in 2018, employees reported skin reactions, which led the airline to replace its collection. Fabric is therefore also a matter of occupational health.

More modern styles

Recent collections favour clean lines, a bright colour or prints inspired by the culture of the home country. Qantas, for example, entrusted its collection to Australian designer Martin Grant in 2016.

What is the history of uniforms in air transport?

The first flight uniforms appeared with cabin staff. In May 1930, Ellen Church, a nurse, became the first air hostess hired by Boeing Air Transport (the forerunner of United Airlines): her uniform was inspired by a nurse’s tunic, to reassure passengers.

From the 1960s, airlines turned to haute couture. Air France entrusted its collections to the house of Dior in 1962, to Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1969, then to Christian Lacroix in 2005, according to its heritage page « Créations ». The uniform became a brand tool in its own right, and its lines followed changes in fashion and in the place of women in the cabin.

Who designs airline uniforms?

The collections of major airlines are often signed by fashion designers, then manufactured by a specialist supplier. The table below lists some well-known examples.

Airline	Designer	Launch year
Air France	Christian Lacroix	2005
Singapore Airlines	Pierre Balmain	1968
Qantas	Martin Grant	2016
Delta Air Lines	Zac Posen	2018

Why entrust your aviation uniforms to Esthis?

Choosing a specialist supplier for your uniforms means getting garments designed for the aviation industry, with a single point of contact from the first sketch to restocking.

• A tailored approach: fleet size, number of staff to dress, climates at your destinations; we build an offer suited to your operation, whether you are a regional airline or an international carrier.
• Monitored manufacturing: every production run is checked to ensure the same quality from one order to the next and to restock sizes as you recruit.
• Complete support: analysis of your needs, design by our designers, prototypes and fittings, measurement, delivery and restocking.

Discover also our collections for the transport sector.

Request a quote for your airline’s uniforms

Tell us how many people you need to dress, the roles concerned and your timeline: we will come back to you with a costed proposal, or a meeting to present our collections and fabrics to your teams.

Sources and method

This page was written by the Esthis team, specialists in professional clothing, based on our design practice and verifiable public sources:

• Air France Corporate, « Créations » heritage page: corporate.airfrance.com/fr/creations
• OEKO-TEX, presentation of the Standard 100 label (oeko-tex.com)
• Press releases from Delta Air Lines (2018), Qantas (2016) and Singapore Airlines about their collections

The designer examples cited concern these airlines and are not Esthis client references.

Frequently asked questions

Who supplies airline uniforms?

Airlines work with suppliers specialising in professional clothing, who handle design, manufacturing and restocking. Major airlines often bring in a fashion designer to create the designs.

How long does it take to create a flight attendant uniform?

Allow several months between the first brief and roll-out, to design the garments, test prototypes in flight and then manufacture them for all crews.

Can a small airline order uniforms?

Yes. A regional or business aviation airline can start from an existing collection customised in its colour, which reduces lead times and cost.