Hainan Airlines Flaunts New Flight Attendant Uniforms at Paris Couture Week

While American Airlines is still trying to figure out why its new(ish) uniforms are making employees sick, Hainan Airlines is taking onboard fashion to new heights— about 35,000 feet, to be exact. The China-based airline made a splash this week when it debuted its new uniforms at Paris Couture Week.

Designed by Laurence Xu, the uniforms mix classic detailing with a fashion-forward style. The overall design is based on a traditional Chinese dress women wear on special occasions — a Cheongsam — and features colorful patterns meant to remind you of the ocean and mountains, as well as the clouds and sky you're flying through on Hainan.

But there's more to this uniform than meets the eye. According to a press release by Hainan Airlines, "The 3/4 sleeves denote simplicity and just the right amount of modesty, symbolic of the cabin crew's high level of competence. The apron is designed like a tulip-shaped dress to emphasize, in equal measure, elegance, femininity, aesthetics and practicality. The Western-style draping incorporates popular international fashion elements alongside a sense of high-quality professionalism."

We’ll say. The gorgeous new onboard attire has been two years in the making, with Xu creating more than 1,000 blueprints and testing more than 100 samples of garments and accessories to get just the right look. It’s going to be pretty tough to compete with your cabin crew for Best Dressed on your next Hainan flight.

Which airline do you think has the best flight attendant uniforms? Sound off, below.

All images courtesy of Hainan Airlines.