After decades of complementing one of aviation’s most iconic uniforms, Singapore Airlines is preparing to retire the famous open-toe sandals worn by its female cabin crew. Here, we look back at the Pierre Balmain-designed footwear that became an unmistakable part of the Singapore Girl’s image.
For generations, she has been the very picture of elegance in the skies. With her immaculately styled hair, colourful sarong kebaya, carefully applied make-up and distinctive open-toe sandals, the Singapore Girl has become one of commercial aviation’s most enduring and instantly recognisable icons.
But after decades of service, one of the most distinctive elements of her famous appearance is preparing to disappear.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has confirmed that its female cabin crew will gradually begin replacing their iconic open-toe sandals with new closed-toe wedge shoes from January 2027, ending a footwear tradition that stretches back generations.
The decision marks a significant change for an airline that has fiercely protected its cabin crew uniform’s appearance for more than half a century.
And while the change is being made with comfort, practicality and safety in mind, it also means saying farewell to a rather fabulous piece of aviation fashion history.
A Little Parisian Elegance
To understand the sandals’ significance, we need to revisit the origins of the Singapore Girl herself.
Long before Singapore Airlines became the internationally renowned carrier we know today, its predecessors were already experimenting with distinctive uniforms inspired by traditional Southeast Asian clothing.
The sarong kebaya first appeared on Malayan Airways cabin crew in 1963, but French couturier Pierre Balmain helped transform it into an international fashion icon.
In 1968, Balmain reimagined the uniform for Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA), creating the elegant, figure-hugging silhouette that would become synonymous with the Singapore Girl.
When Singapore Airlines emerged as an independent carrier in 1972, it embraced the image, and Balmain adapted the uniform in 1974.
While airlines elsewhere embraced changing fashions, experimenting with everything from miniskirts and space-age outfits to trouser suits and increasingly contemporary designs, Singapore Airlines remained remarkably faithful to Balmain’s original vision.
And completing that instantly recognisable look was another of the French designer’s creations: the famous open-toe sandals.
The Devil Is in the Detail
At first glance, the sandals might seem like a relatively modest part of such an elaborate uniform. But their understated design was precisely what made them so effective.
With delicate straps, open toes, and distinctive batik detailing around the straps and heels, the sandals were designed to complement, not compete with, the colourful patterns of the sarong kebaya.
They provided an elegant finishing touch to the Singapore Girl’s carefully cultivated image of grace, sophistication and traditional hospitality.
Of course, another distinctive little detail became almost as famous as the sandals themselves.
Those perfectly painted red toenails!
Visible through the open-toe design, the flash of red became another recognisable feature of the Singapore Girl’s appearance, helping create the polished image Singapore Airlines promoted worldwide.
Together with the batik uniform, immaculate grooming and distinctive hairstyles, the sandals formed part of a visual identity that changed remarkably little as the airline moved from Boeing 707s and early Jumbo Jets to the modern Airbus A350 and Boeing 787.
For aviation enthusiasts and lovers of classic airline fashion, they became far more than simply another pair of cabin crew shoes.
They were part of the Singapore Girl herself.
When Safety Took Centre Stage
However, the sandals’ longstanding place in the cabin crew uniform has not been without controversy.
On October 31, 2000, Singapore Airlines Flight SQ006, a Boeing 747-400 bound for Los Angeles, crashed during take-off from Taipei’s Chiang Kai-shek International Airport after attempting to depart from a runway closed for construction.
The tragedy claimed 83 lives and prompted renewed scrutiny of several aspects of the airline’s cabin crew uniform, particularly its practicality during an emergency evacuation.
After the accident, flight attendants said their open-toe sandals came off during the crash, leaving them barefoot as they navigated debris at the scene.
Although Singapore Airlines said it began reviewing crew footwear about two years before the tragedy, it introduced new protective shoes in April 2001.
Interestingly, the airline once again turned to Pierre Balmain for the design.
The resulting closed-toe slingbacks featured a chrome buckle attached to an ankle strap, while a protective polyurethane toe cap offered additional protection for the wearer’s feet.
But rather than abandon the famous sandals entirely, Singapore Airlines opted for a compromise.
The protective slingbacks would be worn during take-off and landing, while the traditional open-toe sandals could still be worn during the remaining stages of the flight.
The solution balanced the airline’s desire to preserve its signature appearance with the operational demands of modern aviation.
It also created a rather unusual routine for its female cabin crew.
國家運輸安全調查委員會（Taiwan Transportation Sefety Board）, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Two Pairs of Shoes, One Flight
For about 25 years, changing footwear has been part of the workday for Singapore Airlines’ female flight attendants.
During critical stages of flight, crew members wear protective closed-toe slingbacks. Once airborne, they can change into their familiar open-toe sandals for much of the journey, then switch back to the protective footwear for landing.
For passengers, the transition likely went largely unnoticed.
But for the crew, it meant carrying and managing two different pairs of shoes during their duties.
And while the famous sandals unquestionably contributed to the airline’s distinctive image, practical considerations were obvious.
Open toes offer little protection from an accidental collision with a trolley or a falling object, while constantly changing footwear adds another task to an already busy working day.
Now, Singapore Airlines has decided it’s time to simplify matters.
A New Chapter for the Singapore Girl
From January 2027, Singapore Airlines will progressively introduce new closed-toe wedge shoes developed in collaboration with Singaporean footwear brand PAZZION.
Unlike existing arrangements, the new shoes are designed to be worn throughout the flight, eliminating the need for crew members to change footwear between stages of their duties.
Made from genuine leather and featuring thick lambskin insoles for added cushioning, the wedges were developed with a particular emphasis on comfort, support, and protection.
The airline says the closed-toe design will offer greater protection against accidental spills and falling objects while improving overall practicality.
Female flight attendants helped develop the footwear, and the airline tested multiple prototypes on actual flights before selecting the final design.
Importantly, Singapore Airlines has not completely abandoned the aesthetic that made the original sandals so distinctive.
The new footwear incorporates the airline’s signature batik detailing, while different colour variations complement the sarong kebayas worn by cabin crew of different ranks.
For example, inflight managers, whose uniforms are distinguished by their burgundy colouring, will have corresponding footwear.
The new wedges will replace both the original open-toe sandals and the protective slingbacks introduced in 2001.
Male cabin crew, meanwhile, will continue wearing their existing black leather shoes.
Farewell to an Aviation Fashion Icon
Airline uniforms have always evolved, reflecting changing fashions, social attitudes, operational requirements and expectations of comfort in the workplace.
Indeed, the history of commercial aviation is littered with extraordinary uniform designs that once seemed inseparable from the airlines whose crews wore them.
Yet few carriers have maintained such a consistent and instantly identifiable appearance as Singapore Airlines.
While its aircraft, cabins, in-flight products, and route network have changed dramatically since the 1970s, the Singapore Girl has remained a reassuringly familiar presence.
That makes retiring her famous sandals particularly significant.
For some, the move will be a welcome, sensible step toward more practical, protective cabin crew footwear. After all, a beautiful uniform should never come at the expense of the people who wear it.
For others, it will represent the disappearance of another small but cherished detail from aviation’s increasingly distant golden age.
Thankfully, Balmain’s beautiful sarong kebaya remains, and the new wedges show that Singapore Airlines is keen to retain a connection to its distinguished fashion heritage.
Nevertheless, there is something rather poignant about saying goodbye to a design that has accompanied generations of flight attendants around the world.
The Singapore Girl might be getting a new pair of shoes, but a little piece of airline fashion history is finally preparing to take its last bow.
What do you think? Is Singapore Airlines right to retire its famous open-toe sandals, or should this iconic design have been preserved? Let us know your thoughts!
©️ Confessions of a Trolley Dolly