Air France can trace its beginnings back to October 7th, 1933, when it officially took off after merging with a bunch of other cool aviation companies.
Over the past 90 years, the airline has continuously showcased the essence of French excellence worldwide. Today, it operates nearly 1,000 daily flights to 200 destinations with a fleet of over 240 aircraft.
This year, Air France is celebrating nine decades of elegance, innovation, and comfort on-board its planes. This celebration encompasses not just travel but also fine dining, design, haute couture, art, and architecture.
The airline has consistently elevated the travel experience, epitomising the quintessential French touch recognised globally.
Illustrating 90 years of elegance
The collection of five iconic dresses represents different facets of Air France's identity, including aircraft and technology, uniforms and fashion, iconic posters, fine dining and tableware, as well as design and architecture.
Each dress serves as an exploration of these themes, highlighting the airline's evolution across eras and its pioneering spirit.
A collaboration with Parisian Artistry
To bring these original dresses to life, Air France collaborated with Xavier Ronze, renowned for his work at the Paris Opera Ballet.
Ronze mixed up some classic Air France history with a dash of modern design, creating a magical blend that connects the airline's past and present, all while showcasing their top-notch skills.
Promoting French excellence
Air France has partnered with select luxury French brands, including Vanessa Bruno, Delsey, Bernardaud, Brun de Vian-Tiran, and Le parapluie de Cherbourg, to promote French craftsmanship. This exclusive collection can only be found at Galeries Lafayette.
In a historic move, Air France is offering visitors the chance to purchase original tableware designed by the painter Jean Picart Le Doux, used in the La Première and Business cabins from 1966 to the 2000s.
Proceeds from these sales will be donated to the Air France Foundation, which has been dedicated to supporting children worldwide for 30 years.
Fashion Shows at Galeries Lafayette
Air France has chosen the Galeries Lafayette, a Parisian fashion icon, to display its original dress collection. This exhibit will showcase the airline's legendary history and high-flying elegance through 12 store windows.
The dresses will be accompanied by vintage Air France memorabilia and current offerings, showcasing 90 years of in-flight comfort, iconic aircraft, designer uniforms, in-flight dining, and design.
Inside the store, Air France has set up pop-up shops featuring specially created or reissued items for its anniversary. These items range from aircraft models to comfort kits, postcards, baggage tags, and notebooks bearing the 90th-anniversary signature.
Legendary items such as vintage travel bags and iconic posters are also available for purchase on the Air France Shopping website.
Air France isn't just stopping at iconic dresses. Get ready for some high-flying fashion shows right at the Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. It's like Paris Fashion Week, but with a dash of airline glamour.
Models will be strutting their stuff in uniforms that represent different eras of Air France's history. We're talking about everything from those quaint 'barman' outfits of yesteryears to the haute couture creations by fashion legends like Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, and Christian Lacroix.
It's a fashion journey through time, and it's all about the evolution of those iconic Air France uniforms that have been turning heads for decades.
These dresses were unveiled in a special exhibition at the Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, which is currently on until October 10.