Zambesi style
One of the new uniforms for Air New Zealand, designed by Zambesi
At one minute past midnight on March 27, 2006, more than 5000 Air New Zealand staff in airports and airline offices around the world began to take their clothes off. 180 crew aboard 13 flights did the same thing. In a 24-hour synchronised operation, all of the airline’s staff changed into new uniforms - the much-anticipated result of an extensive two-year collaboration between the airline and Auckland fashion house Zambesi.
In 2001, the world airline industry was in turmoil. The rise of the budget airlines, changing consumer preferences and a downturn in the world travel industry was causing the traditional carriers a lot of pain. Air New Zealand was one of them. Unable to compete on price, the airline decided to capitalise on its main competitive advantage and differentiate itself from the rest of the airlines crowding the skies of the world. The company’s competitive advantage, management realised, and one that couldn’t be copied or matched by any other operator, was that they weren’t just selling tickets; as New Zealand’s national carrier, they were acting as a gateway to one of the world’s most desirable destinations. If they could build a positive connection in the consumer’s mind between the destination, and the airline, and have this positive connection translate into ticket sales, then they would be well on the way to securing a future for the business.
As a very visable part of the company’s operations, the airline’s uniforms were a key element in the brand refreshment programme. The 13-year-old Barbara Lee designs were comfortable, functional and out-of-date. They said a lot about the times they were designed for but they didn’t say anything about New Zealand today. To replace them Air New Zealand hired Auckland fashion house Zambesi.
