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Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand Unveils Bold New Uniforms by Emilia Wickstead

Emilia Wickstead designed Air New Zealand’s 2025 uniform collection, with hand-painted Māori-inspired prints by Te Rangitu Netana. Here’s what each garment means and when staff will wear it.

By ThatPainter Team 3 min read
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Air New Zealand unveiled a new uniform collection on 11 April 2025, designed by New Zealand-born Emilia Wickstead with bespoke hand-painted prints by tā moko artist Te Rangitu Netana. The airline says the collection is intended for its 6,000 employees worldwide, with wearer trials beginning in May 2025 and a progressive rollout planned from 2026.

Who designed Air New Zealand’s new uniform?

Emilia Wickstead led the design after Air New Zealand’s 2023 competitive selection process. More than 40 New Zealand designers expressed interest, and proposals were assessed for sustainability, functionality, safety and te ao Māori considerations.

Netana created the hand-painted prints. He described each pattern as a story rooted in Aotearoa’s traditions and values, reflecting the land, sea and connections that bind New Zealanders together. Wickstead said the project required respect for New Zealand’s people, land and identity, while Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran characterised the collection as a celebration of its people, culture and values.

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What the collection looks like

The range uses bold colour, tailored silhouettes and locally meaningful motifs rather than treating the uniform as a single standard outfit. It covers cabin crew, ground staff, pilots and a Pasifika garment trial.

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The Fine Print dress Cabin crew and other eligible staff Tūī-knot neckline and kōwhai print
The Collective Thread shirt Cabin crew or ground staff Inclusive shirt with bold prints, a tūī-knot neckline and purapura whetū patterns
The Wrap Around trench Ground and other eligible staff Purple pinstripe trench coat
The Woven One ie faitaga Pasifika team members Cultural garment being introduced as a trial
The Runway Cut waistcoat Male crew members and ground staff Tailored waistcoat
Pilot uniform Pilots Bold pinstriped suit with kiwi-feather print lining

What the Māori-inspired prints mean

Kōwhai and the tūī-knot neckline

The kōwhai design on The Fine Print dress is linked by the airline to the story of Ngatoro-i-Rangi and to ideas of protection, responsibility and belonging. The tūī-knot neckline appears on both the dress and shirt, giving the collection a recognisable visual detail across roles.

Purapura whetū and the pilot lining

The Collective Thread shirt incorporates purapura whetū patterns. The pilot suit’s kiwi-feather lining connects leadership and responsibility with a distinctly New Zealand symbol. These meanings come from the collection’s cultural design narrative, not from decorative motifs added without context.

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How inclusive is the collection?

Air New Zealand has presented the range as a set of options spanning cabin crew, airport and ground roles, pilots and Pasifika staff. The Collective Thread shirt is explicitly described as inclusive for cabin crew or ground staff, while The Woven One is a dedicated ie faitaga trial for Pasifika team members. The named pieces indicate a broader mix of garments than a single gendered uniform formula, although the release does not publish a complete sizing, tailoring or gender-option policy.

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Which materials are being used?

The airline says it is incorporating recycled polyester and organic cotton where viable. The specified material direction includes:

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“Where viable” matters: the announcement describes a materials strategy, not a claim that every component is recycled, organic or lower-impact across its full life cycle.

When will staff start wearing the new uniforms?

  1. Onboard wearer trials were announced to begin in May 2025.
  2. Air New Zealand planned testing and feedback with uniform wearers before a network-wide rollout.
  3. Team members were expected to begin wearing the collection progressively from 2026.

A staged process allows the airline to assess fit, movement, durability, safety and day-to-day practicality before broader adoption. The announcement does not specify one universal changeover date for every station or role.

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Can the public buy the Emilia Wickstead Air New Zealand uniform?

There is no public retail purchase route documented for this collection. The garments are proprietary employee uniforms, so a fashion-store listing, marketplace replica or unrelated Emilia Wickstead item should not be presented as the Air New Zealand uniform. Availability could change only if Air New Zealand or an authorised partner announces a verified release.

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Why the collection stands out

Its distinction comes from combining cultural authorship, aviation requirements and a recognisable national visual language. Wickstead provides the tailoring and overall fashion direction; Netana’s hand-painted work supplies the collection’s stories and motifs; and the rollout puts wearer testing ahead of a full network launch. That combination makes the project more than a cosmetic redesign: it is an attempt to make uniforms functional workwear while expressing Aotearoa’s identity.

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