Spanish design has never flown so high. Nearly 7,000 company employees will showcase the new designs in a major international display: the nearly 140 destinations in 43 countries to which the airline flies. The new uniform will be debuted by flight crews and airport staff at the Madrid Hub, before being worn by staff at the rest of the airline’s stations around the world.
A symbol reflecting a team bursting with dedication, professionalism and talent
Iberia's new uniform displays a sober, elegant, and functional design that represents a natural balance between Teresa Helbig's hallmarks and the current image of the airline. With this iconic element, Iberia will be culminating the rebranding process that it embarked on in 2013.
With the new uniform, Iberia seeks to highlight its renewed and up-to-date image, in addition to showing its commitment to Spanish fashion and to supporting the Spanish creative talent from our country. Gemma Juncá, Iberia’s Brand & Marketing Manager, pointed out that “the new uniform is a key part of our brand, a sign of identity that reinforces our commitment to fashion and to the values of Spanish culture. We want our employees to feel proud to wear it and to represent Iberia”.
The collection: sophistication and personality
Teresa Helbig's proposal is based on classic tailoring within Iberia’s long-standing tradition while creating a very up-to-date, serene, and versatile wardrobe that combines pragmatism with fashion appeal for both flight crews and ground staff.
The collection brings together twenty garments, including dresses, skirts, trousers, coats, and accessories –scarves, ties, bags, and gloves, in an elegant, practical, and innovative style, using high-quality materials suited to the purpose.
The pieces flee from rigidity, but are timelessly elegant, and include some retro touches, such as the high break of the jackets, the narrow lapels and ties, and the short-fit jackets, dresses, and skirts. The pieces also boast up-to-the-minute elements, such as pleats and strong cuffs and shoulder lines.
The most iconic component of the new uniform is undoubtedly the dress, a garment designed to be comfortable and sophisticated. Grosgrain ribbons, red and yellow details, and gold zippers add a touch of sophistication and character to the design, without detriment of comfort.
As for the accessories, open and closed scarves, ties, gloves, and a bag --inspired by a Chanel classic-- enhance the personality of the uniform and lend it an elegant and avant-garde style.
The innovations of the uniform include --in addition to the classic shoe with high and medium heels-- flat shoes and a very fashionable and functional sports shoe, along with a feather gilet as an alternative to the men’s coat, and a new design on the neck of the knitwear that includes a corporate detail on the sleeve to add energy to the look.
The colour range: balancing blue with the calm of fawn, the energy of red and the vitality of yellow
Navy blue --which embodies balance and professionalism-- is the predominant colour in Helbig’s collection. It combines perfectly with the calm of the fawn blouses and shirts, and with the energy of red and yellow in the details that are strategically placed on the cuffs, collar, back and openings, and which are revealed when the wearer moves, providing visual richness.
Red embodies passion, dedication, and vitality. The blouses and dress incorporate red trim around the neck, while the tie adds an additional red stripe, and the knitwear is solid red for easy identification of flight attendants, supervisors, and duty managers.
For its part, the fawn shade of the blouses and shirts represents authenticity and neutrality, and complements the mosaic of tones like a second skin.
Warmth, innovation, and a dedication to service: the values of Iberia that inspired Teresa Helbig
For the design of this collection, the designer was inspired by the values of Iberia: warmth, innovation, and a dedication to service.
One of the main challenges was to adapt the creative concept of haute couture to mass production and to employees’ different profiles and duties. “I want them to feel attractive, well-dressed, empowered and proud to be wearing their uniform,” says Helbig.
In her design, aesthetics and design prevail, seeking a balance between functionality and beauty. “We have created this proposal out of emotion, because flying and designing are very similar: both try to materialise dreams. We did not conceive of these pieces as mere uniforms, but as garments that, in addition to being comfortable and functional, are flattering, and can maintain their style and elegance over the years”, emphasises the designer.
Teresa Helbig --a key figure in Spanish fashion-- is the first woman to design the Iberia uniform and joins the ranks of designers --Pedro Rodríguez, Manuel Pertegaz, Elio Bernhayer, Alfredo Caral, and Adolfo Domínguez-- who, between 1952 and 2022, lent their talent and skill to the design of the airline’s uniforms.
