Riyadh Air recently introduced its inaugural cabin crew uniforms, designed by Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi, founder of the Paris-based label Ashi Studio. This reveal took place after Ashi’s Haute Couture Week show in Paris on June 27, 2024.
Mohammed Ashi aimed to blend the “golden age of aviation” with contemporary styles in his new collection for Riyadh Air. He explained, “What we’ve done is, we’ve taken the golden age of aviation and we are representing it in the current day; it’s a relevant collection.” Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, emphasized this point at the event, stating, “It’s not cabin crew ‘uniforms,’ it’s cabin crew fashion.”
The luxury line includes timeless cashmere outerwear, elegant dresses, fine wool trousers, custom leather footwear, amethyst earrings, and pillbox hats. These designs draw inspiration from 1950s airline fashion but incorporate Ashi’s modern twist. The collection introduces a new color tone, Electric Amethyst for womenswear and Dark Amethyst for menswear, paying homage to Saudi Arabia’s lavender fields. The development of these unique shades took six months.
Seasonal Fashion for Riyadh Air Crew
The fashion collection will be worn by Riyadh Air cabin crew, pilots, concierge agents, and airport staff. These uniforms will change seasonally to keep the looks fresh and modern. Douglas praised Ashi’s ability to connect the new designs to the past, saying, “We feel that he has actually done an incredible job of connecting back to those halcyon days of commercial aviation, the kind of Pan Ams the TWA used (from the 1950s), the ‘Catch Me If You Can’—with a real modern twist.”
The Paris runway show featured ten womenswear looks, each paired with accessories like shoes, purses, and hats. Five menswear looks were also unveiled, with additional designs kept under wraps for a future reveal. Ashi included distinctive Riyadh Air elements within the concepts, such as adding the canopy twist from the airline’s logo into the silhouettes of some pieces. The collection also offered modest options, including a turban for women and below-the-knee skirts with sleek designs and high collars.
Douglas highlighted the global impact of showcasing Riyadh Air’s new fashion collection during Haute Couture Week. He said, “For a start-up airline to be showcasing our new fashion collection during Haute Couture Week in Paris shows what an impact Riyadh Air is having globally.” He also pointed out that the elegant and chic designs will soon be recognizable in airports worldwide.
“The designs will leave a lasting impression on our guests by the proud team members that wear them. When you get up close to the garments you can see the level of detail and intricacy that Ashi has included, which is in complete alignment with our values and attention to detail at Riyadh Air,” Douglas added.
Ashi expressed his excitement about designing for Riyadh Air, stating, “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. It shows that Riyadh Air has no limits and that luxury and attention to detail are key across every aspect of the experience.”
Riyadh Air plans to take its maiden flight in mid-2025, aiming to connect the Saudi capital to more than 100 destinations by 2030.
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