PIA Selects HSY to Design New Cabin Crew Uniforms, Debut on Oct 31 Dreamliner Flight

Pakistan International Airlines has picked the country’s most famous fashion designer, Hassan Sheheryar Yasin — HSY — to design brand-new uniforms for its cabin crew. The airline announced the decision on Thursday, October 22, 2026, and the reimagined collection was unveiled the same day in Lahore. Passengers will see the new look in the skies very soon: the uniforms make their official debut on October 31, 2026, aboard PIA’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight from London to Islamabad.

A nationwide search ends in Karachi

HSY did not get the job on reputation alone. PIA ran a competitive showcase in Karachi where ten of the country’s leading fashion designers presented their concepts before a jury made up of fashion figures and industry leaders. Yasin’s proposal won — and the airline says the choice continues a long tradition of letting prominent designers shape its visual identity.

That tradition is genuinely storied. French designer Pierre Cardin created PIA’s pioneering A-line tunic and hood back in 1966, a look that helped give the young airline a fashion-forward reputation in its golden era. In the 1970s, Sir Hardy Amies — the royal couturier to Queen Elizabeth II — brought his refined tailoring to the carrier. More recently, a uniform inspired by Pakistani designer Nomi Ansari remained part of PIA’s identity for 12 years. HSY now joins that line.

What the new uniforms look like — and why they were designed this way

According to PIA, the collection follows a “lifestyle first” philosophy. That is not just marketing language: the uniforms are engineered for long-haul durability and ergonomic movement, blending soft, breathable fabrics with structured tailoring. The palette and detailing draw on Pakistan’s cultural craftsmanship, while keeping the polished, functional discipline a crew uniform needs at cruising altitude.

Anyone who has worked a 9-hour sector in a stiff uniform will understand why this matters. Cabin crew spend their shifts bending into overhead bins, kneeling by seats, and standing through turbulence. A uniform that moves with the body instead of fighting it is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade — and passengers notice the difference when the crew looks comfortable rather than starched.

HSY himself framed the project as a national statement rather than a fashion exercise:

“Designing for our national flag carrier is about capturing our collective pride and the genuine warmth of Pakistani hospitality.”

He added that the team wanted “uniforms that our crew feel extraordinarily confident and comfortable [in] — apparel that respect our heritage, reflect modern fashion, and tell our story beautifully in every airport across the globe.”

Part of PIA’s bigger transformation

The uniform reveal is not happening in isolation. PIA says the reimagined collection is part of the airline’s ongoing transformation under its consortium-led new management — the group that took over as the national carrier works through privatisation and restructuring. A new visual identity, rolled out on the airline’s newest aircraft type, is the most visible possible signal that the PIA passengers knew is changing.

The timing is deliberate: the uniforms debut on October 31, 2026, on PIA’s inaugural Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner service from London to Islamabad. Launching the new look on the flagship long-haul route, in front of the Pakistani diaspora in the UK, is about as high-profile a stage as the airline could pick. “Passengers won’t have to wait long to experience the new visual identity,” PIA’s statement said.

Who is HSY?

For readers outside fashion circles: Hassan Sheheryar Yasin is one of South Asia’s most prominent fashion designers, known for red-carpet creations and an international celebrity clientele, and for showcasing Pakistani fashion on global platforms. He is the rare Pakistani designer whose name travels — which is exactly why PIA wants his aesthetic representing the country at 35,000 feet.

It is also a smart commercial bet. Uniform reveals by flag carriers routinely generate the kind of lifestyle-press coverage that paid advertising cannot buy, and attaching a celebrity designer multiplies it. Expect the October 31 Dreamliner flight to be photographed heavily.

What to watch next

The real test comes after the glamour of the unveiling. New uniforms need to survive daily wear, frequent washing, and the physical reality of cabin service — and they need to be produced at scale for the entire crew base. PIA has promised the rollout follows quickly after the October 31 debut. If the airline delivers, this will be remembered as the moment PIA started looking like the airline it wants to become.

For now, one thing is certain: on October 31, the crew walking through London Heathrow in HSY-designed uniforms will be making a statement — about Pakistani hospitality, Pakistani craft, and a national carrier trying to dress the part.

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By Hira Shahid · Updated October 22, 2026