Unloved Air NZ uniforms back to fashion runway

Trelise Cooper

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Just four years after a controversial redesign of its cabin crew uniform, Air New Zealand has ditched Zambesi and chosen a new fashion house to come up with something better.

Rumours circulating in the fashion industry say Auckland designer Trelise Cooper, known for her opulent fabrics and love of frills, will design Air New Zealand's new uniform, scheduled to be introduced in 2011.

Cooper flounced her way to the top of 22 designers who submitted ideas to the airline. From those, five were shortlisted – Kate Sylvester, World, Alexandra Owen, Taylor Boutique and Cooper.

Fashion blogger Isaac Hindin-Miller, of isaaclikes.com, said the final two were Taylor Boutique and Cooper, and both designers were asked to present their designs twice to a committee before the decision was made.

Neither the airline nor Cooper's chief executive would confirm what is widely believed in the industry. An Air New Zealand spokesperson said a new uniform was being considered to coincide with the arrival of its new 777-300 fleet, but the airline was keeping any other details under wraps for a few more months.

But Vicki Taylor, of Taylor Boutique, told Hindin-Miller: "Air New Zealand told us that we had the function nailed, but Trelise Cooper had the wow factor. We presented 21 garments which were somehow scraped together in four days, but the amount of work that went into it was huge. We interviewed countless Air New Zealand staff members about their current uniforms and what they'd like to see changed.

"Air New Zealand really loved what we'd done, but unfortunately we missed out in the end."

Taylor also said the airline refused to reveal how much the contract was worth.

Air New Zealand last unveiled a new staff uniform in 2005. It was designed by Zambesi after 18 months of collaboration.

It featured a colour palette of teal, greenstone and schist which Air NZ chief executive Rob Fyfe said at the time was outstanding. It was an "elegant, contemporary yet quintessentially New Zealand uniform collection that encapsulates our heritage, our country's natural beauty and the warmth and integrity of our people".

Fyfe said then he was confident staff would embrace the new uniform. However, he was proved wrong. Staff complained the uniform creased easily, was difficult to keep clean and unflattering for larger females. There were accounts of men having to get their trousers altered for a better fit and criticism that the uniform resembled that of the cult TV characters in Thunderbirds.

Two years ago Fyfe admitted the colour was too light and made some staff look washed out. It was changed to a darker shade.

But some comments posted on Hindin-Miller's site about the choice of Cooper as the airline's latest designer of choice have been equally unfavourable.

"Please tell me it's not true," wrote one woman. "Trelise Cooper clothes are for overweight middle-aged women." Said another: "I don't think Trelise Cooper should be designing any uniform in general. This is a business, not a fashion show for older women." But another poster said Cooper has previously designed school uniforms.

The cost of the Zambesi design was never released but the cost of issuing a single set of uniforms to staff was estimated to be more than $2 million. Zambesi declined to pitch this time around.

Cooper hit the headlines in October when it was revealed a jersey that featured in her show at Air New Zealand Fashion Week featured the same embroidered bow motif as a jersey on sale at London's Topshop store.

Cooper pulled the style from her range after suggesting the Hong Kong motif supplier may have sold the same bow to different designers.