Since English fashion designer Ozwald Boateng created a new look for British Airways frontline staff in 2023, the controversial designs have never been far from the headlines, sadly for all the wrong reasons.
However, when Julien MacDonald unveiled his new uniform for British Airways in 2004, what should have been a stylish refresh turned into a fashion spat with predecessor Paul Costelloe.
And the turbulence wasn’t coming from the flight deck!
The Costelloe Years: Corporate, Classic… and Apparently “Granny”?
Costelloe introduced his BA uniform in 1992, and it served the airline for a full decade, no small feat in aviation branding. Navy tailoring, structured jackets, pleated skirts, practical cuts. It was authoritative, wearable, and unmistakably “BA”.
But when MacDonald launched his redesign, it wasn’t just the hemlines that rose; so did the temperature.
“I wanted to create a uniform that puts the glamour back into flying,” he said. “It couldn’t be any worse than the one they’ve had for years.”
He continued, “The old uniform made the cabin crew look like someone’s old granny queuing for a bus, because it was so unflattering. It must have been terrible for a 20-year-old to have to wear something like that.”
You could practically hear the tea cups rattling in the crew room.
Enter Julien: Retro Glamour with a Side of Mischief
MacDonald’s collection leaned into retro 1950s and 60s influences, figure-hugging silhouettes, sleeker tailoring, and a more overtly glamorous aesthetic. The coats were sharply cut, the skirts slimmer, the overall vibe more catwalk than corporate corridor.
His spokeswoman later clarified that his comments had been “misunderstood,” explaining he simply meant the uniform needed updating, pointing to the pleated full skirt as something more reminiscent of the 1980s than modern aviation chic.
But by then, the boarding doors were closed, and the handbags were out.
MacDonald, known for dressing high-profile clients such as Kylie Minogue, Joely Richardson and Nicole Kidman, has always embraced a slightly provocative image. He once admitted that “a bad boy image isn’t a bad thing to have.” In this case, the image is rather stuck.
Costelloe Fires Back
Costelloe, never one to shy away from a well-cut retort, responded with remarkable sharpness. “I think it’s going to date rather quickly,” he fired back.
“I feel Julien is a great evening wear designer for ladies of the night, but I don’t think he’s qualified to talk about tailoring,” he added.
He described the remarks as unnecessary and suggested MacDonald should “stick to designing evening slapper stuff.”
Costelloe also questioned whether anyone “over a size 10 or 12” would feel comfortable in the new, more figure-hugging uniforms. He raised doubts about fabric quality and predicted the design would quickly date.
Yet he finished with a diplomatic flourish: “My design lasted 10 years, and I’m flattered people are still talking about it.”
Touché.
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BA Stays Above the Fray
British Airways, meanwhile, maintained the calm professionalism of a well-trained purser.
A spokesperson confirmed the airline had been very happy with both designers’ work, noting that Costelloe’s uniform had simply reached the end of its natural lifecycle after more than a decade. It was time for a change.
The revamp came at a sensitive moment: the airline had announced significant cost-cutting measures totalling up to £400 million and was expected to cut 4,000 jobs. The cost of the new uniforms was deemed “commercially sensitive”.
It’s worth remembering that BA has long collaborated with high-profile designers. Over the decades, the airline has commissioned the likes of Hardy Amies and Roland Klein. Globally, airlines have followed similar paths, Yves Saint Laurent for Qantas, Calvin Klein for Scandinavian Airlines, Ralph Lauren for TWA, and even Kate Spade for Delta’s Song venture.
From The Galley
From the galley, the debate was less about designer ego and more about wearability.
Costelloe’s designs were inclusive and practical. MacDonald’s was undeniably sharper and more contemporary. But with that came concerns about fit across the full spectrum of crew body types.
Julien MacDonald modernised the British Airways look and injected a dose of retro polish into the brand. Paul Costelloe delivered a decade of dependable, corporate elegance that became part of BA’s identity.
But in suggesting the previous uniform resembled something a “granny queuing for a bus” might wear, MacDonald learned a vital lesson about cabin crew culture: Never insult the people who wore it with pride.
© Confessions of a Trolley Dolly
The Julien MacDonald uniform should be brought BACK! What the HELL were BA managers thinking, scrapping that beautifuly smart JM uniform for the current Boateng one???