Riyadh Air glides on the fashion runway – Aircraft Interiors International

Many are eagerly awaiting the upcoming reveal of Riyadh Air’s three-class Boeing 787-9 cabins, which promise very high standards of comfort and luxury in business class and premium economy. And the anticipation can only grow, following the reveal of the airline’s proposed crew uniforms during Haute Couture Week in Paris.

The new Saudi Arabian airline, fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), brought in Saudi fashion designer Mohammed Ashi, founder and creative director of the Ashi Studio couture house in Paris, to create the collection. Ashi drew elements from Riyadh Air’s aircraft livery to create bespoke colours for the uniforms, which he said will also complement the cabin interiors, which will be revealed later this year ahead of the airline entering service in 2025. The full collection of outfits is scheduled for launch early next year.

The ‘lifestyle collection’ for the airline’s frontline team members includes dozens of seasonal looks for cabin crew, pilots, concierges, and airport agents, of which 15 were revealed during Haute Couture Week. The collection features 10 womenswear looks, each complemented by accessories, and five menswear looks.

The concepts include classic cashmere outerwear, dresses and trousers made of fine wools, custom leather footwear, and amethyst earrings. The collection was partly inspired by 1950s airline fashion (especially the pillbox hats), widely considered as the ‘golden age’ in aviation, updated with bold, modern styling.

“There is a practicality aspect of the fashion line that means it’s easy and comfortable to wear. We wanted to have the theme of the collection to pay homage to the golden age of aviation, so I took that literally and went back to the 1950s when luxury aviation was at its peak,” said Ashi. “What we’ve done here is modernised the lines and pushed them to be more relevant but with the glamour of the golden era.”

The colour tones for the looks include ‘Electric Amethyst’ for womenswear, and ‘Dark Amethyst’ for menswear, the shades pay homage to Saudi Arabia’s stunning lavender fields, which also inspired Riyadh Air’s primary brand colour.

Distinctive Riyadh Air elements are also incorporated within the lines, shadows and silhouettes of the concepts, such as the canopy twist found in the Riyadh Air brand. The coats and jackets worn at the Paris launch also include the modern lines of the Riyadh Air logo.

Ashi said of the collaboration: “Designing for the new national airline from Saudi Arabia has had a big impact on me, knowing that we are making a mark in history. Fashion and aviation have seen collaborations in the past, but its pinnacle was over 50 years ago, and I was keen to be inspired by that time. This is an amazing collaboration where fashion is helping to make an airline modern with completely unique looks.

Another hint of what could come is Riyadh Air’s partnership with Lucid, the electric vehicle maker, which spans marketing, commercial, and operational streams for guests. Sustainable transportation to and from airports for business-class guests perhaps?