MEET THE MAKERS • October 2023

The colleague stars behind our new uniform rollout

For the last 20 years, you’ve watched our previous uniform – designed by Welsh fashion supremo Julien Macdonald – circumnagivate the globe. Now, it’s time for you to get up close and personal with Ozwald Boateng’s much-anticipated new uniform design, as customer-facing colleagues start wearing the new collection

After being shadowed by Ozwald himself, more than 1,500 British Airways colleagues took part in more than 50 workshops to feed back on garment suitability. Many of the pieces were road-tested in deluge showers and freezers at -18°C; pilot and crew uniforms were put through their paces at 35,000ft as part of our secret trials. Now, we have a truly original collection: a bespoke jacquard fabric that echoes an airwave pattern, a level of tailoring that hails from Savile Row and even an industry-first jumpsuit. The Club meets the people behind the pictures to find out what the new uniform wearers have to say…

Taniella Bedward

Inflight Manager

Arguably the role most affected by this change of pace is our cabin crew – who now have four options to play with. Inflight Manager Taniella Bedward has chosen the dress. “I think the variety of choice is the best thing about the new uniform,” she says. “It makes the whole thing feel much more versatile than before. As for the dress, I’m just drawn to it – I also like that it has side tabs on the waist, meaning I’m far less likely to forget my belt!”

Connell Morris

Aircraft Maintenance Mechanic

“I’ll have to change my LinkedIn job to ‘model’ after all these shoots, won’t I!” says Aircraft Maintenance Engineer Mechanic Connell Morris. “But I’ve loved showing off the new uniform. It’s both durable and airy – which is good since I don’t have to worry about rips or tears or sweating too much if it’s a demanding task or hot outside. There are pockets on pretty much every item now, too, so nothing falls off me when I’m squeezing into small spaces or hanging upside down.”

Yassir Latif

Customer Experience Apprentice

Our newbies are flaunting their stuff, too. Apprentice Yassir Latif, pictured here with Lily Hunt, hopes the new uniform will show apprentices in a radiant new light. “I love how flexible and lightweight the new uniform is,” he says. “Boateng’s fabrics seem more breathable yet insulative – the greatest achievement for me is the slim fit option, since I’m quite slender.” But what’s the coolest feature? “The waist straps on the side of the trousers, replacing the need for a belt, for sure. This belt-less design feature puts the attention on the vibrant colours of the uniform itself, not accessories. Personally, I’ll be wearing the full three-piece suit. My first impression of it was: isn’t this something I would prefer to wear to a wedding? It’s a real confidence boost.”

Suzanne Morgan

Boeing 777 Captain

There are considerations to be made with all our uniforms. “Female captains are all different shapes and sizes, for a start,” explains 777 captain Suzanne Morgan. “But we do share some important quirks, namely that we’re sitting down for long stretches (I personally fly long haul), can swell up with cabin pressure and have seatbelts in between our legs. Testing the uniform was crucial and very secretive. During a trial flight, we had to keep what we were doing from other colleagues and got changed secretly on the plane, which was tricky! The new shirts are really comfortable on our necks and the trousers are elasticated.”

Erika Morales Ruiz

Customer Experience Representative

Out in the heart of the terminal, our new uniform makes for a stellar first impression – just ask Erika Morales Ruiz. “I think Ozwald has done a brilliant job,” she says. “I’m very happy with the results, personally. In terms of what I’ll be wearing the most (since there are now multiple options), so far, it’s been the dress. I just find it very elegant and think it fits me like a glove. And I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this photoshoot – I felt like a model!”

Lovepreet Bindra

Ground Operations Lead

If there’s one colleague who knows just how much diligence has gone into the uniform project, it’s Lovepreet Bindra. “I’ve been involved in the uniform design from the beginning, when it was all a big secret,” he says. “At the start, I explained that if our trouser pockets can’t fit in our ultra-device (an essential piece of equipment we need to do our job), the ramp staff won’t be happy. Measurements of the device were sent away and now it fits in perfectly. Plus, the new uniform has built-in knee pads, which come in very handy if we’re having to haul bags on our knees.”

James Huggett

Technician

Some of our colleagues even made it to the showroom. “Back when I was an apprentice in 2018, I attended the first meet and greet with Ozwald at his store in London,” says technician James Huggett. “I gave my thoughts at the time but then relocated for work and couldn’t be involved in the new uniform project much after that. Now, though, having switched from the old into the new, I can say this uniform is noticeably better quality, especially in terms of the material. And we now have zips on pockets instead of Velcro, which is fantastic as Velcro wears out and you run the risk of losing things.”