Delta Workers Sport Fresh New Look
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- With all the enthusiasm of New York's Fashion Week, Delta employees worked the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport runway -- only this one was made of plum-colored carpet.
One after another, stand-in models flashed broad smiles and fresh new looks.
What they were modeling is the first revamp of Delta's non-pilot uniforms in nearly 20 years. It is the work of fashion designer Zac Posen and his team.
"Delta wanted something different, I wanted to bring something different," Posen said. "They wanted to stand out everywhere around the world."
The airline will do exactly that with a bold-new color that Delta calls "passport plum." Other uniforms will feature charcoal gray and red fabrics.
"One-hundred-and-eighty-million people see our front-line employees, so it's part of our image," said Delta Senior Vice President Gareth Joyce. "It's who we are, and it's important to represent that well in front of your customers."
But remember: These are work uniforms, and much more than fashion they also have to be functional. That is why Posen and his team studied every job category to help design clothing to match.
"They're a lot more comfortable," said Delta customer service agent Mary Hitchcock. "They put details into it to make sure it works with the job. The fabric is movable and I also think we look pretty good."
Modern fabrics mean the uniforms are more breathable, lightweight and also stain resistant. Flight attendants will even have uniforms that contain an anti-microbial woven into the fabrics.
While Posen and his team designed the look, Wisconsin-based Land's End is producing the line, which features at least a dozen separate uniform styles.
"I've never designed and had this many people on one daily basis putting on my clothing, getting dressed in it or even just going to work, so it's kind of overwhelming," Posen said.
It is a bit like walking a runway, when you are more comfortable holding a wrench.