Gareth Pugh designs Virgin Voyages crew uniforms

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Sep 18, 2019

Gareth Pugh has combined his high-fashion modernist approach and Virgin Voyages’ links to the sea to create a bold uniform collection for the cruise company.

Their collaboration was unveiled during London Fashion Week on Sunday with a live performance by Christina Aguilera at a star-studded launch party.

Pugh, widely considered the enfant terrible of the British fashion scene, is testing the limits of the traditional uniform with a series of designs that range from the avant garde to the theatrical.

The wide range of looks for men and women includes tailored pieces, pillow-case tunic shirts with nautical touches, bodycon dresses with leather straps and smart black dress with a flowing red cape.

There are pieces for day and night, and the collection breaks with cruise traditions by having no epaulettes stripes for officers, no ties and no waistcoats. Crew members will be also provided with custom-designed sustainable red sneakers. Made by San Francisco-based PLAE, they are gender neutral and feature eco-friendly lining sourced from coffee grounds.

“For this project, we were really allowed to push the boundaries, and to redefine the idea of what constitutes a uniform. We ultimately wanted to make everything about it modern, luxurious and desirable — to allow the entire crew to look and feel like a million dollars, in keeping with the rest of the experience,” said Pugh.

The British designer spent two years working on the project, and follows in the footsteps of designers, artists, and producers including Tom Dixon, Roman and Williams and Mark Ronson, among others.

Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, said: “People are at the heart of all of our Virgin companies and when our people feel their best, they help make guest experiences the best they can be.

“We want Virgin Voyages’ crew to be the happiest at sea and making sure that they feel comfortable, confident and stylish is a big part of that experience. Gareth Pugh and the Virgin Voyages’ team have worked hand-in-hand to bring to life what will soon be the most eye-catching uniforms on the high seas.”