If I used to be to select a single time frame within the historical past of aviation to revive, then this is able to be the previous Olympic Airways period. Each woman who longs a profession up within the sky, daydreams about being part of this golden period of aviation. Again then, when well-known designers competed with one another about who would design the best and most elegant patterns to decorate the glamorous flying ladies.
And although the post-Onassis period proved to be unstable for the corporate, there is no denying of its unparalleled contribution to the Greek aviation fashion excellence over the following years.
The fantastic period of aviation in Greece started on April the sixth of 1957, the day when Aristotle Onassis bought the corporate from the Greek state, the day when the Golden Period of Olympic Airways – his treasured “girlfriend”, as he used to consult with – launched. The corporate’s operation initially started with inbound flights and steadily grew into one of many largest airline corporations connecting Greece with each continent, together with Australia, inspiring younger ladies throughout the 60’s and 70’s to pursue a dream profession up within the air. Only some of those aspiring flight attendants managed to make their approach into enterprise – these have been the “chosen” ones, the elites.
Olympic Airways was an organization famend for its consideration to element and the luxurious companies it supplied to its passengers whereas making certain that its ladies would solely be dressed in response to the most recent and best traits, making a trend assertion that may final over the many years to return. Anybody who had the prospect to fly throughout the Golden Period of Olympic Airways, certainly witnessed one of the vital refined intervals of aviation in Greece. Beneath the status and the luxurious character of the corporate lied the eagerness and countless longing of Onassis to show its “girlfriend” right into a top-class worldwide aviation firm, leaving its wonderful mark behind. Onassis put real religion to its individuals and proof to that was the incomparably glorious apperance {and professional} administration of its personnel, resulting in its big success over time.
Flying on the time was extra like a lifetime expertise, somewhat than a easy technique of transport.
The cabin service was one of the vital luxurious and of top of the range provided on the time – Onassis himself ordered to make use of gold-plated flatware in each Enterprise and Economic system class four in response to the key (or not so secret) makes an attempt of the Enterprise Class passengers to accumulate a few of the gold-plated flatware used for his or her meals. Onassis aimed for each Greek home to have a reminder of the Golden Period of Olympic Airways. Fantastic porcelains and crystals together with elegant designer uniforms mixed to realize the wonderful consequence that left a everlasting mark within the historical past of aviation.
The corporate’s luxurious fashion impressed trend designers all over the world to create unique uniform collections to decorate the fashionable flight attendants.The designs have been both revolutionary or clean-cut basic ones whereas their equipment vary included rubber boots and classy capes that left their mark within the trend historical past. The uniforms have been each trendy and refined, whereas on the identical time purposeful, turning every one of many ladies into trend icons of the time.
Jean Dessès was the corporate’s first uniform designer and a world main dressmaker from the 1940s until the 1960s. He was born in Alexandria, Egypt and lived in Paris. He turned extensively referred to as the “king of muslin”. His design for the Olympic Airways uniform included a blue clean-cut skirt go well with fiited within the waist, worn with a crisp white shirt and essentially, an elegant hat.
Hats in aviation have been a compulsory accent that complimented every uniform, marking the posh and status in aviation. Hats are making a comeback these days as an increasing number of aviation corporations try to re-establish their luxurious character.
Jean Dessès and the primary uniform of Olympic Airways (1957-1966)
Coco Chanel adopted, presenting a vibrant, tremendous stylish uniform fashion that bared her signature jacket fashion and saved the hat. The jacket designed by Coco Chanel was a signature button-up with a white peter pan collar and a cute bow proper beneath the neck.
The uniform designed by Coco Chanel was in use for 3 years and have become a promiment chapter of the corporate’s historical past.
Coco Chanel and the women sporting her fabulous uniforms (1966-1968)
Pierre Cardin adopted along with his notion of the final word uniform fashion impressed by the house age development of the late 1960’s. His design was essentially the most influential uniform design of all instances in my view, together with a mini costume, an announcement cape and a ravishing bonnet hat.
These three parts shortly turned the trademark of Olympic Airways. Aristotle Onassis set the requirements so excessive that one may merely watch him and his firm’s success “take off” afterwards.
Pierre Cardin and his final uniform fashion impressed by the house age (1969-1971)
In 1972, maxi attire are launched for the flight attendants in Enterprise Class when Yannis Tseklenis was assigned to design the corporate’s model new uniforms. The Olympic rings starred within the new uniform whereas a brand new maxi and mini model got here in use, enriched with complimentory equipment just like the umbrellas.
Tseklenis launched an unique assortment which included all the required equipment a flight attendant would wish: umbrellas, the costume and the assertion boots. These white rubber boots obtained a variety of optimistic suggestions as they launched a brand new trend period. Tseklenis thought extremely of this assortment, because it was a undertaking he beloved engaged on.
Yannis Tseklenis’ design for the enterprise class women (1972-1976)
The dying of Aristotle Onassis resulted within the downturn the corporate took after 1974 when the Greek State gained possession of the corporate. Onassis’ love for the corporate and his longing to see it make it to the highest, was vanished after his dying.
A contest was held between designers by the state to decide on future designers. Roula Stathis received in 1979 along with her hippie-retro design and Billy Bo adopted in 1981, introducing burgundy hues for the Enterprise Class ladies for the primary time ever. From 1978 to 1992, Fact Kontoyorgos and Aspasia Jerel took over designing the corporate’s uniforms. Afterwards, Makis Tselios designed the foulard-centered uniform from 1992 till 1999.
Sylia Krithariotis‘ design in 2013 was a shiny instance of the corporate’s comeback. Being a part of the Aegean Airways group, Olympic Airways’ uniforms are at the moment designed by Sophia Kokosalakis.
The hippie design of Roula Stathi
Pierre Cardin
There is no such thing as a doubt that after the dying of Aristotle Onassis, Olympic Airways misplaced its status, though there have been a number of makes an attempt made to carry again a few of the firm’s long-gone glamour. Elegant uniforms work as an unmistakable signal of fantastic service and unremarkable fashion for every firm.
And although I didn’t have the prospect to work Olympic’s glamorous days, this dream will at all times keep alive.
*** Not one of the above images is mine. All are borrowed from pinterest.
Maria Kalymnou
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