The cabin crew outfit of Riyadh Air was unveiled during Haute Couture Week in Paris. The uniform was designed by Saudi designer Mohammed Ashi, who founded the Paris label Ashi Studio. He also presented his collection, which consists of fifteen distinct looks for both male and female staff members. It included classic cashmere outerwear, exquisite wool dresses and trousers, bespoke leather footwear, pillbox hats, and amethyst earrings. It also featured a women’s turban. With some high collars on display, the skirts were below the knee and emphasized a sleek, clean design.
With Ashi’s unique take on 1950s airline fashion—regarded as the “golden age” of the aviation industry—the styles’ dazzling electric amethyst for women’s clothing and dark amethyst for men’s were influenced by this era. The amethyst hues are derived from Riyadh Air’s color palette and are associated with Saudi Arabia’s lavender fields. The whole project took six months as part of Ashi and Riyadh Air’s year-long partnership.
Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, stated, “It’s not Cabin crew uniforms, its cabin crew fashion.” We believe Ashi has done a fantastic job of transporting us back to those glorious days of commercial flight, evoking references to the popular 2002 film “Catch Me If You Can” and Pan Am, TWA, and other classic aviation brands from the 1950s.”
“This has been a landmark occasion for Riyadh Air, and it shows just how far we’ve come in a short space of time. For a start-up airline to be showcasing our new fashion collection during Haute Couture Week in Paris shows what an impact Riyadh Air is having globally. Working with Ashi on these designs has been a tremendous experience for all of us and we’re all very proud to be able to show off the creations and the full range early next year. We have no doubt that the fashion line will soon be recognizable to people all over the world, and that the designs will leave a lasting impression on our guests by the proud team members that wear them. When you get up close to the garments you can see the level of detail and intricacy that Ashi has included, which is in complete alignment of our values and attention to detail at Riyadh Air.”
Douglas remarked, “Look at Leonardo DiCaprio there,” pointing to a model wearing a captain’s uniform and alluding to the 2002 movie Catch Me If You Can. He concluded, “When our cabin crew walks through Shanghai, JFK, and Paris Charles de Gaulle in the future, just like those old Pan Am ones, straight way people will immediately think of “Riyadh Air”.
Many airlines work with designers to produce their cabin crew uniforms. For example, Pierre Balmain designed the uniforms for Singapore Airlines in 1988, Christian Lacroix designed the Air France uniforms in 2005, and Ashi is the newest designer to be included in this list.
Mohammed Ashi Founder and Creative Director of ASHI STUDIO said, “Designing for the new national airline from Saudi Arabia has had a big impact on me knowing that we are making a mark in history. Fashion and aviation have seen collaborations in the past, but its pinnacle was over 50 years ago, and I was keen to be inspired by that time. This is an amazing collaboration where fashion is helping to make an airline modern with completely unique looks. It shows that Riyadh Air has no limits and that luxury and attention to detail is key across every aspect of the experience. It’s another first for Riyadh Air and I’m proud to collaborate with the airline.
There is a practicality aspect of the fashion line that means it’s easy and comfortable to wear. We wanted to have the theme of the collection to pay homage to the golden age of aviation, so I took that literally and went back to the 1950s when luxury aviation was at its peak. What we’ve done here is modernized the lines and pushed them to be more relevant but with the glamour of the golden era.”
In mid-2025, Riyadh Air is scheduled to launch from Saudi Arabia to over 100 destinations worldwide, with Ashi creations joining the journey. We will therefore have to wait until the next year to witness Riyadh Air cabin staff members in various airports wearing the fashionable outfit designed by Mohammed Ashi.
By: Rida Khan (Aviation Author)
Instagram A/c: aviationauthor.ridakhan
