Emirates' cabin crew outfits have always been fashionable. Here's a look at how they've evolved

There is something terribly calming about someone in an Emirates cabin crew outfit; the look is on point, with nary a hair out of place. The shoes are polished, the scarf tied just so. Their competence is undeniable.

But how and when did the standards of uniforms change? What has the evolution of the beige and red ensemble that we immediately identify as Emirates’ crew been like?

Here’s how things have changed over the ages:

This is a bold is beautiful time period. When shoulder pads are in and they go with your louder-than-loud hair – think Tina Turner singing, Proud Mary.

And so the women wear warm, beige, rounded jackets with red piping around the edges, and subtle shoulder pads. Designed in a shade of sunlight on sand, the Emirates cabin crew uniform subtly symbolises the desert dunes of its home nation, the UAE. The knee-length skirt is cut straight and has but a single pleat in the middle. It is paired with a cream blouse and a red ribbon tied in a bow around the collar. They wear a red hat, with the Emirates Logo in Arabic emblazoned on it, and a white scarf, which has seven pleats to represent the seven emirates.

The men who serve as cabin crew and pilots wear grey suits with a white shirt, read tie with , white shirt and gold insignia. All crew don black leather shoes.

Power dressing is having a moment at this point, and so it is that Emirates transforms its cut and style to empower its crew. The uniform now features a double-breasted beige jacket with gold buttons, a longer skirt with extended pleat, a white blouse with a subtle Emirates logo pattern, and the signature red hat and veil.

Male crew members continue to wear the original uniform. All 180 cabin crew wear a pochette, symbolising the UAE flag, in their pockets this year.

The end of the year sees another change – the introduction of a ‘Summer Safari’ outfit for the women. This is made for warmer weather – it is lighter and more comfortable but still has the structured shoulders, front pockets and a red belt at the waist. The female crew in First Class also wear a traditional Arabic dress called a ‘Thoub,’ to serve Arabic coffee and dates.

In 1997, Spanish designer Paco Rabanne is asked for a modern, stylish update. The female uniform retains its colours, but changes the cuts and fits. The women therefore get a shapely skirt and blouse with a round neck and jacquard logo print, under a slimline jacket with a mandarin collar, while male crew members wear navy blue jackets paired with beige trousers. They have also started to wear brown shoes.

Just as fashion is getting edgier, Emirates takes another route. The change in dress code coincides with the arrival of the first Airbus A380. Designed by Emirates’ in-house team in collaboration with Simon Jersey, the updated look still comes in the same hues but it sports more detailing . So the uniform sees the introduction of a subtle pinstripe, four kick pleats in the skirt revealing more signature Emirates’ red, and red trims throughout. The hat has been redesigned, with the Emirates logo positioned on the side in a wing shape. Accessories like shoes, belts and bags are a slightly darker maroon red to complement the uniform’s trims and the iconic hat.

The men’s uniform , meanwhile, sees a chocolate brown pinstripe with subtle red trim, alongside a cream shirt and a striped tie in shades of gold, brown, and red.

The 2020s have been a time of choice and personal expression not just for the world but also for Emirates. In 2023, therefore, it began to offer a range of 15 shoe styles to choose from.

The latest edition of the female shoes were introduced with matching red leather handbags, and belts, in a brighter red colour than before, perfectly complementing the pleat of the skirt and the trim of the uniform – leaning into the red hue that has now become synonymous with the airline.

The uniform now empowers 25,000 cabin crew flying to more than 140 destinations to be ‘runway ready’ in every sense.