National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia introduced thematic flight attendant uniforms in South Jakarta on Monday.
Designed by Indonesian fashion designer Didiet Maulana, the uniforms will be used for special flights called “Tenun Flight” (hand-woven fabric flight), with the first flight departing from Jakarta for Bali on Wednesday morning.
Garuda Indonesia executive director Ari Askhara said during the press conference that the thematic uniforms were among the airline’s efforts to provide passengers with new flight experiences while also giving opportunities to Indonesian designers to enter the global market.
Ari explained that the airline had previously collaborated with Anne Avantie to produce a special kebaya (traditional blouse) uniform. This time, Didiet provided designs for both male and female cabin crew called “Puspa Nusantara” (flower of the archipelago).
The designer explained that initially, the airline had only requested a design for female flight attendants. However, he felt challenged and offered a design for male flight attendants as well.
For Garuda Indonesia’s thematic uniforms, Didiet produced a total of 18 sets and involved 50 weavers. The purple-dominated female uniform features Kartini kebaya and Peranakan silhouettes combined with Balinese-style senteng (scarf) around the waist.
Meanwhile, the skirt uses tenun textile, which is the trademark of Ikat Indonesia, a fashion brand founded by Didiet. Didiet said he made some changes in the original designs for safety measures.
The sleeves, which were inspired by eagle’s wings, incorporate split design and allow flight attendants to comfortably serve food. The tenun skirt features elastic rubber for the crew to be able to run in times of an emergency.
As for the male uniform, it’s inspired by the shape of beskap (a formal Javanese suit) adorned with traditional textiles, such as lurik from Yogyakarta and Klaten, Central Java. Following the collaboration with Didiet, Ari said that the airline planned to work with other Indonesian fashion designers to create more thematic uniforms.
Source&image: TheJakartaPost
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