Fashion Win For Qantas! Martin Grant Named As Uniform Designer

No matter how far I travel, or how immersed I become in a culture or country, there is truly no greater feeling than flying into Sydney to see the sun glistening off the most beautiful harbour in the world. It’s simply magical.

But I digress. For me, the brand that is synonymous with the Australia that I love and the glamour that surrounded air travel in its early years is Qantas, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with their announcement that Melbourne born, Paris based designer Martin Grant will take over the reigns designing the new uniform!

My gran still to this day dresses in her Sunday best for her flights and is always sure to burst into a round of applause for the the “clever and amazing” pilots that fly her safely from A to B. It is this sepia coloured memory of the glamour and wonder of travelling which Qantas is keen to reawaken along with the redesign of their uniform.

Says Qantas CEO Alan Joyce:

“Martin’s work reflects modern and contemporary designs and we were extremely impressed with his appreciation for the Qantas brand and his enthusiasm to design the next instalment of the Qantas uniform.”

What epitomises the perfect symbiosis of fashion and travel more than the uniform of the flight attendant? The woman all girls want to be and all men want to be with. A woman who is carefree, spirited and unafraid of new challenges and experiences. In early days, female flight attendants were seen as something of an anomaly- women who chose to break the mould and buck societal expectations. Now we can see them as pioneers, and strong female role models.

With some 30 years of experience behind him, Martin Grant is the perfect candidate to lead the way forward designing the new Qantas uniform. His classic, well tailored designs transcend age or style preference- they are rather investment pieces to cherish in your closet forever. It’s a sad fact that Grant is relatively unknown for the incredible atelier that he is in his home country, for he has cultivated a large and highly respected empire over 30 years that spans across Europe and Asia. It is exciting to entertain the concept that Grant will finally find wide-reaching appreciation in his homeland with his latest appointment.

Grant is yet another feather in the Qantas design cap, which includes Yves Saint Laurent, Emilio Pucci, George Gross and Harry Who, and most recently Peter Morrisey. You wont be able to spot the Qantas team sporting the new designs until they are rolled out in 2014 but we will be sure to keep you updated on the design journey throughout the year! The staff can count themselves amongst an exclusive crowd that includes Tilda Swinton, Blake Lively, Emma Stone and Kate Hudson. It is not everyone that can say their outfit was custom made by Martin Grant…perhaps its time to put in a sneaky application!

As much as I love our sunny shores, it is true there is nothing quite like Paris for style. I can’t wait to see a little of L’Avenue des Champs Elysées injected onto our streets and airways. After all, what is more Audrey than that!

Check out Martin Grant in Sydney last week with the past Qantas Uniforms dating from 1948 below.