Delta unveils new employee uniform collection produced by Lands’ End
Delta Air Lines is unveiling a new line of flight attendant, airport customer service and maintenance employee uniforms, more than six years after its last major uniform collection rollout prompted opt-outs and lawsuits over alleged rashes and allergic reactions.
The new uniforms, to be worn by 65,000 global employees, will be produced by retailer Lands’ End, the Atlanta-based airline announced Monday.
Delta designed the collection in-house. It was a more than two-year process, executives said Monday, that prioritized employee feedback through surveys, focus groups and job shadowing.
“It’s been a long time coming, but the reason it’s taken us so long is we wanted to make sure we got it exactly right,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said Monday at a fashion show where the new uniforms were revealed.
More than 300 employees attended the event at the Delta Flight Museum, with a catwalk extending next to “The Spirit of Delta,” the airline’s first Boeing 767 that was purchased through donations from employees and others during a challenging economic time for the industry.
Delta employees, many from Atlanta, sashayed down the runway, modeling the new “Distinctly Delta” collection, as it’s called. About 1,500 Delta employees will test the uniforms by summer, with a rollout planned in 2027.
For “above wing” employees — the flight attendants and airport customer service — the uniforms come in deep navy and burgundy, a return to more classic Delta colors. A crowd favorite was a burgundy wrap dress, which has returned with a collar that can be flipped up for extra style.
“I think it will be turning heads in every single concourse around the world, and we will make so many other airlines jealous,” Ekrem Dimbiloglu, managing director of uniform and onboard brand experience, said at the event.
Above-wing men were also given more clothing options, such as a crew neck sweater and two styles of pants.
Delta introduced, for the first time, an elite uniform collection for its employees who serve premium travelers. They feature a subtle jacquard print on navy outer garments and sweaters.
The airline also debuted a new offering for its Red Coats, the agents known for their scarlet jackets: the first red V-neck dress.
And new for maintenance employees was a pair of bib overalls and the first maternity clothes.
The “Distinctly Delta” collection also includes scarves, ties and pocket squares designed by Italian luxury brand Missoni, an airline partner for some of Delta’s business class amenities.
The new uniforms come during Delta’s 100th year of operation, marked by a series of events this year.
“It’s been a long time coming, but at the same time, what better way to start our second century of flight than in a uniform that we all feel like we had an actual hand in designing and creating,” Ranjan Goswami, senior vice president of customer experience design, said at the event.
Delta executives acknowledged Monday the need to get the design right. Chausti Weinbrenner, Lands’ End director of merchandising and client experience, talked about how the garments received a textile industry certification known as OEKO-TEX, which tests fabrics for harmful substances.
Back in 2018, Delta spent millions on the controversial “Passport Plum” uniforms, which were designed by Zac Posen and made by Lands’ End. Employees filed lawsuits complaining about allergic reactions to the purple garments, and thousands of flight attendants and customer service agents opted to come to work in alternate clothing instead.
Delta ended up spending millions more on a redesign.
Last year, Delta said it planned to roll out new uniforms in a more classic color palette from a different supplier, GPS Apparel by Gap Inc. But the partnership with Gap ended, and that collection was never released externally, a spokesperson said.
“We had a simple mantra when we started this program, which was: Listen, act, listen,” Dimbiloglu told the audience of employees at the Monday event, which was also livestreamed. “There’s 65,000 voices, but every voice matters, and we wanted to make sure we heard you.”
About the Authors
As a business reporter, Emma Hurt leads coverage of the Atlanta airport, Delta Air Lines, UPS, Norfolk Southern and other travel and logistics companies. Prior to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution she worked as an editor and Atlanta reporter for Axios, a politics reporter for WABE News and a business reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
