Between the bankruptcies, budget cuts, and hectic price slashing in the airline industry, it’s difficult to imagine a time when being a jet setter actually meant something a little more than a utilitarian means of travel. Issues of class and the luxury lifestyle aside, it’s hard to suppress the obsequiousness for the enchantment of an age that brought us Saarinen’s Terminal 5, hand-cut Cardin suits, and models in attendant uniforms so influenced by mod style it’s a wonder Marc Jacobs doesn’t just knock off the classics one by one.

Not that he’ll have much room to now, since it looks like for some airlines the drab, boring uniforms of the past twenty years are once again (and finally) giving way to intentionally designed pieces–some costing up to $600 per head. Korean Air has recently hired on Gianfranco Ferre to do their uniform line; Delta’s ridding their notoriously dowdy attire by way of Richard Tyler; Air France has contracted Christian LaCroix for theirs; British Airways has brought on Julian MacDonald; even the ever-stylish JAL is seeking a makeover by bringing aboard Yoshie Inaba (what, they couldn’t get Rei Kawakubo?).

It’s hard to think that this will be enough to restore the airline industry to its former glory (maybe those pilots need to lay off on the sauce a little, yeah?), but no doubt about it: you’ve never seen a beautiful dress until you’ve seen a real 1968 United uniform in red and white.

Photos: CatchOurSmile, UniformFreak, Jaques Brinon, AP
Via: PSFK