Air New Zealand has revealed London-based New Zealand designer Emilia Wickstead will be creating its new uniform.
Wickstead, a firm favourite amongst the British royal family and many other celebrities, will be taking over the reins from Dame Trelise Cooper, who has designed the airline’s uniform since 2011.
So, who is Wickstead, who does she already dress, and what can the airline’s employees expect from their new uniform?
A move from NZ to Milan
Wickstead was born in New Zealand.
Her mother, Angela Wickstead, is also a designer. She once told Elle magazine her earliest memories were of watching her mum doing fittings for clients.
The designer behind the next Air NZ uniform is already a firm favourite among some of the world's most famous people. (Source: 1News)
When Wickstead was 14, her family moved to one of the world’s fashion capitals, Milan. She then went on to study fashion design and marketing at Central Saint Martins in London.
She launched her own fashion brand in 2008 and was dressing some of the world’s most famous women within a few years.
A royal favourite
One of Wickstead’s most famous and most consistent fans is Catherine, Princess of Wales. The royal has been seen in many different Wickstead creations over the years.
Other members of the British royal family also wear Emilia Wickstead designs.
Most recently, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh wore a floral Emilia Wickstead frock for a formal event in London, while Princess Beatrice attended this year’s Wimbledon tournament in a pink Emilia Wickstead dress.
A celebrity favourite, too
But it’s not just the royals who turn to Emilia Wickstead designs for special occasions – many of the world’s most famous people have worn her designs.
Lady Gaga, Sofia Vergara, Lily James, Melania Trump, Olivia Colman, Ariana Grande and Gwyneth Paltrow have all worn Wickstead’s designs before.
Paltrow is such a fan of Wickstead’s work, her lifestyle brand Goop collaborated with the designer on a capsule collection earlier this year.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai also wore a bespoke Emilia Wickstead gown and matching headscarf to an Oscars event this year.
High flying fashion
Now, Wickstead is turning her attention to a new uniform for Air New Zealand, something she describes as a “true passion project”.
The initial designs presented for the uniform were “creative, unique, and will set Air New Zealand apart on the global stage”, according to the airline’s chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty.
“[Wickstead] also demonstrated her understanding of the importance in creating a uniform that is both functional and comfortable for our people,” she said.
Wickstead said the uniforms will be an extension of her design aesthetic, which she describes as having a timeless quality, “with simple yet effective details that lend fresh modernity and ease”.
The final designs for the new Air New Zealand uniforms will be revealed late next year.
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