Southwest Airlines (Southwest) is onboarding a new look and feel with plans for redesigned aircraft cabin conveniences and interiors that are distinctly Southwest and will feature new aircraft seats from RECARO. Alongside these efforts, Southwest has announced an employee uniform refresh that will bring a modern look to more than 53,000 Southwest employees.
Southwest Airlines partnered with Tangerine, a leading design company that specialises in transportation, to create an updated cabin interior for new aircraft deliveries beginning next year. The design is based on extensive research covering customer and employee perceptions of colour, comfort and their aspirations for the overall onboard experience. The design brings to life Southwest’s warm energy with deep blue tones, sky blue accents, and a nod to the Southwest heart woven throughout the carpet.
As part of this refresh, customer research and product testing guided Southwest to select the global supplier of premium aircraft seats, RECARO, to provide comfortable seating that complements the calm blue palette planned for the refreshed cabins. The Southwest heart will be threaded throughout the interior with the recognisable symbol debossed on seat headrests, alongside a sunray pattern on the seats.
Additionally, a uniform inspiration team with 75 Southwest employees is working alongside current apparel vendor, Design Collective by Cintas and uniform brand consultant and fashion stylist, Bonnie Markel, to develop the new look for Southwest Employees who work in and around airports, including inflight operations, ground operations, cargo and technical operations.
“This design project brings together unique points of view in a dynamic and engaging co-creation process,” said Caroline Bartek, Creative Director with Design Collective by Cintas. “It’s a true collaboration between Southwest Airlines and the uniform inspiration team, Design Collective and Bonnie Markel,” said Abby Groshek, Apparel Designer with Design Collective by Cintas. “As the design process unfolds, Design Collective and Bonnie Markel are creating an apparel line that represents the Southwest Brand, with crucial input from the uniform inspiration team members who bring their everyday working knowledge and experience to ensure the apparel of the future fulfils all their functional and fashion needs.”
