Givenchy creative director Julien Macdonald has a new challenge in store. He has been commissioned to “revamp” the image of British Airways with a line of new staff uniforms, beating two other high-profile designers for the job.
“Come fly with me!” the controversial 28-year-old said on Tuesday. “I want to bring glamour back to travel. That’s what it’s all about. The girls will look very sexy and the men will look like strong heroes. They’ll be the envy of all the other airlines.”
“The uniforms will have the Macdonald stamp, with a tight waist and a sharp silhouette,” says Julien. “The main colour will be navy and I’ll be using lots of stretch which helps define the body. They will be sexy, but they will be practical.” Julien is scheduled to present his final sketches to British Airways by the end of the year. Six months of “wearer trials” will then follow.
“Julien’s vision underpins the way we are moving forward,” says Michael Crump, a senior executive at Design Management, the firm behind the British Airways corporate identity. “He is a visionary, he’s enthusiastic, stylish and very versatile. We are delighted to have him on board. He understands the power of image.”
However, those hoping Julien’s new uniforms will mirror his more daring work – including the sexy backless green dress Geri Halliwell wore to the Bridget Jones’s Diary UK premiere – may be disappointed. “This is definitely not Cool Britannia,” assures one British Airways insider. “There will be no sparkly Union Jacks.”
The designer’s roster of celebrity clients includes Madonna, Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson and Joely Richardson. Julien, a graduate of London’s Royal College of Art, was recently named Glamour Designer Of The Year at the British Fashion Awards.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
