ISLAMABAD: Change is in the air as Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) bids farewell to its decade-old cabin crew uniforms, replacing the familiar plum-coloured trousers and turquoise headscarves with a fresh design that blends cultural heritage with contemporary innovation.
It lasted a decade…
Tradition dictates—it’s time for a change.A new chapter is about to take flight. ✈️
Crafted by some of Pakistan’s finest creative minds, the iconic PIA uniform is ready for its next evolution.#PIANewLook #NewJourneyNewLook #PIANewUniform #FlyingForward… pic.twitter.com/Z6TT4cNkcZ
— PIA (@Official_PIA) September 3, 2026
The move, announced via Instagram, marks more than just a fashion update. It comes at a transformative moment for the beleaguered national carrier, which recently transferred management control to PIA Equity Limited, the special purpose vehicle of the Arif Habib-led consortium, on June 29, with the new entity now holding a 66.67 per cent stake in the airline.
The timing is significant. PIA is not merely changing its uniform; it is attempting to reinvent itself. With an expansion of its London operations from four to seven weekly flights starting October 27, the airline is signaling ambition at a time when its future has often seemed uncertain.
A history written in fabric
PIA’s uniforms have never been about clothing alone. For over seven decades, they have served as a visual diary of Pakistan’s fashion journey, national identity, and the airline’s global aspirations.
The airline’s documented uniform history stretches back to the 1950s, with designs evolving through eight distinct phases:
1954 to 1956 – The early years of PIA’s uniform journey began with foundational designs that set the stage for what was to come.
1956 to 1960 – Pakistani designer Laila Shahzada and American-French trainer Chausie Fountainer jointly created a uniform featuring a green shirt with white cuffs and collar, paired with a white shalwar and dupatta. A distinctive green cap gave the outfit a recognisable look, marking the first significant incorporation of Pakistani national dress.
1960 to 1966 – Designer Feroze Cowasji introduced modifications to the earlier design, including a shorter folded dupatta.
1966 to 1975 – Legendary French designer Pierre Cardin created PIA’s most famous uniform. The summer version featured a fawn colour while the winter uniform was moss green, with a short A-line tunic, slim trousers, and specially shaped dupatta that made PIA a global style icon.
1975 to 1986 – British designer Sir Hardy Amies, dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II, designed a uniform featuring purple and magenta kameezes with embroidered fronts, green shalwars, and printed dupattas inspired by Pakistani folk villages.
1986 to 2003 – Pakistani designer Nahid Azfar created a design that remained in service for 17 years, featuring different colour combinations for summer and winter with a traditional Mughal-inspired sleeveless waistcoat for winter.
2004 to 2016 – PIA introduced another modern makeover before transitioning to the current design.
2016 to Present – The current uniform features Nomi Ansari’s design for women’s clothing and Sania Maskatiya’s turquoise headscarf with flying-birds print, plum-coloured trousers, and a cap with stylised PIA Urdu logo.
The Pierre Cardin revolution
The most famous chapter in PIA’s fashion history began in 1966 when legendary French designer Pierre Cardin created a uniform that would make the airline a global style icon. The summer version featured fawn colors while the winter uniform was moss green.
The short A-line tunic, slim trousers, and specially shaped dupatta became an instant sensation, giving PIA an unusually fashionable image among international airlines. PIA’s own history describes the move as one that helped imprint the airline’s name on the international market.
From British Royalty to Pakistani Heritage
In 1975, British designer Sir Hardy Amies, dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II, designed another striking uniform for PIA. The design featured purple and magenta kameezes with embroidered fronts, green shalwars, and printed dupattas inspired by Pakistani folk clothing.
The 1986 design by Nahid Azfar moved further towards the shalwar kameez, incorporating traditional Mughal-inspired sleeveless waistcoats and different color combinations for summer and winter. Remarkably, that design remained in service for 17 years.
The 2016 makeover and what comes next
The current uniform, introduced in 2016, was itself an attempt to restore glamour to PIA. The airline organized a fashion event where 16 designers presented proposals. The winning designs included Nomi Ansari for women’s clothing and Sania Maskatiya for the scarf and apron, featuring plum-colored trousers and turquoise headscarves with flying-bird prints.
Now, after a decade, PIA is turning to “some of Pakistan’s leading creative minds” for a design that “will seek to blend the country’s cultural heritage with contemporary innovation.”
More than a uniform
The new design will not simply replace an aging outfit. It will add another chapter to one of the most distinctive fashion histories in the story of Pakistan’s national airline. From the green-and-white outfits of the 1950s to French couture, British tailoring, and contemporary Pakistani designers, PIA’s uniforms have told the story of a nation’s changing identity.
Read Also: PIA Increases London Flights from Four to Seven Per Week from October 27
Whether a new look can help revive the glamour once associated with the national carrier remains to be seen. But as PIA enters its new chapter under private management, the message is clear: Pakistan’s flag carrier is ready for change—and it wants the world to notice.
Read Also: Pakistan, Boeing Discuss Pakistan International Airlines Fleet Expansion Plan
The next uniform will be more than clothing. It will be a statement of ambition, of renewal, and of Pakistan’s place in the world. And for a nation that once flew with Pierre Cardin designs, the bar is set high.
