Fit For The Runway: The Evolution of Emirates’ Cabin Crew Uniform

With heritage in every hemline, the iconic uniform of Emirates cabin crew is instantly recognised as a symbol of the world’s largest international airline, and the Emirates fly better experience.

From its inception in 1985 to its current iteration in 2025, the Emirates cabin crew uniform is both evocative and emotive – capturing the glamour of flying with Emirates, and the power of a world-renowned brand.

With a colour combination that never wavers - Emirates’ cabin crew uniform is designed to be iconic and classic - standing the test of time, like the airline itself. With quality and durability as its most essential elements, Emirates rejects fast fashion and trends in favour of timeless style and sophistication.

Emirates cabin crew maintain their impeccable ‘Emirates look’ through a thoughtfully designed uniform that utilises nano-coated fabrics for stain and crease resistance, ensuring it stays immaculate even after long-haul flights.

While the uniform style has evolved over time with strategic tweaks, the brand look remains strong, with practicality and comfort placed above all else - allowing cabin crew to maintain high standards of safety and deliver world-class hospitality to Emirates’ customers.

1985 – An iconic look is born

In the more-is-more fashion era of 1985, Emirates unveiled its first-ever cabin crew uniform for 80 crew members, in its signature brand colours of red and gold. Female cabin crew were presented with warm sandy-beige, round-bordered jackets with red piping around the edges, and subtle shoulder pads in keeping with the style of the time.

Designed in a shade of sunlight on sand, the Emirates cabin crew uniform subtly symbolises the desert dunes of its home nation – the United Arab Emirates. The skirt at the time was cut straight, hanging just below the knee with one elegant pleat in the middle.

Paired with a cream blouse and a red ribbon tied in a bow around the collar, the look was complete with a red hat featuring the Emirates Arabic logo and a white scarf. The logo in elaborate Arabic calligraphy and elegantly draped cream chiffon scarf reflect the local culture, featuring seven pleats to represent the seven Emirates of the UAE.

In 1985, male and female Emirates cabin crew wore black leather shoes. Male cabin crew and pilots wore a classic grey suit with a red tie, white shirt and gold insignia.

1987 – Culture in tasteful touches

In 1987, Emirates introduced a refreshed look for female crew members. The uniform featured a double-breasted beige jacket with eye-catching gold buttons, a longer skirt with an extended pleat, a white blouse with a subtle Emirates logo pattern, and the signature red hat and veil.

Gold remained an important accent to the Emirates look, featured on the very first Emirates aircraft livery and chosen because of its association with Dubai.

Male crew members continued to wear the original 1985 uniform. For both winter and summer, all 180 cabin crew wore a pochette in the pockets that symbolised the flag of the UAE.

By the end of 1987, when Emirates was serving around 11 destinations including Amman, Mumbai, Cairo, Colombo, Delhi, Dhaka, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Karachi, London Gatwick and Male – the team decided to introduce a ‘Summer Safari’ dress for female crew, designed to be lighter and more comfortable for the warmer weather.

Complete with structured shoulders, stylish front pockets and a red belt at the waist, the summer safari dress is still relevant in today’s styles. Female crew in First Class also wore a traditional Arabic dress called a ‘Thoub,’ to serve Arabic coffee and dates, adding a sophisticated cultural touch.

1997 -  Paco Rabanne bestows a designer eye

In 1997, Emirates collaborated with legendary Spanish designer Paco Rabanne, to redesign the uniforms and give them a modern, stylish update. The female uniform retained the classic beige and red colour scheme but featured updated cuts and fits in the clean aesthetic of the 1990’s, with the addition of brown bags and brown shoes.

For female cabin crew, Rabanne designed a shapely skirt and blouse with a round neck and jacquard logo print, under a slimline jacket with a mandarin collar, while male crew members wore navy blue jackets paired with beige trousers and brown shoes.

With a decade of successful growth behind it - Emirates had served 3 million customers, with 1500 cabin crew who showcased the clean lines of the uniform to more than 44 destinations.

2008 – Tailored for take-off, the Emirates’ signature style begins

The next iteration of the Emirates uniform was introduced in July 2008, to mark the arrival of the airline’s first Airbus A380. Designed by Emirates’ in-house team in collaboration with Simon Jersey, the updated look preserved the iconic beige and red colour palette for its now sizeable 11,000 cabin crew.

The female uniform saw the introduction of a subtle pinstripe, four kick pleats in the skirt revealing more signature Emirates’ red, and red trims throughout the suiting. The hat was redesigned, with the Emirates logo positioned on the side in a wing shape. Accessories like shoes, belts and bags were a slightly darker maroon red to complement the uniform’s trims and the iconic hat.

The male uniform was reintroduced in a rich, chocolate brown pinstripe with subtle red trim, complemented by a cream shirt and a striped tie in shades of gold, brown, and red – a luxurious reflection of Emirates’ success, as it now served 99 destinations throughout the globe.

2023 and beyond – Accents of red leather and shoes you can choose

As part of the continued evolution of the uniform, in 2023 Emirates began to offer female cabin crew a range of 15 shoe styles to personally choose from, catering to individual comfort and taste.

The expansive range of Spanish-manufactured, 100% leather male and female shoes, offers a variety of heights, widths, shapes and styles, ensuring comfort, style and fit for every foot.

The latest edition of the female shoes were introduced with matching red leather handbags, and belts, in a brighter red colour than before, perfectly complementing the pleat of the skirt and the trim of the uniform – and leaning into the iconic red shade that has now become synonymous with Emirates.

Poised for even more growth, Emirates has found a fashion formula that works. The iconic uniform now empowers 25,000 cabin crew flying to more than 140 destinations to be ‘runway ready’ in every sense.