Two collectors of vintage airline uniforms talk about the evolution of style in the skies

From boxy blazers to synthetic shirts that emit more static crackle than an airport tannoy, many of the air stewardesses uniforms we encounter when heading off on holiday aren't exactly chic.

It wasn't always like this, though, from the 1940s until the late 1970s, stewardess uniforms were at the cutting edge of jet-set glamour. Retro outfits that now look deeply kitsch, as well as classic motifs that remain part of the look, have continued to influence mainstream fashion.

Many designers have even created uniforms. Emilio Pucci's designs for Braniff International were probably the most memorable, including its 1965 "space helmet", a clear plastic bubble designed to protect hairstyles from wind and rain on the walk from the terminal to the plane before the air bridge was introduced. The only drawback was that stewardesses found it difficult to hear anything.

Armani designed uniforms for Alitalia in the 1990s and Christian Lacroix for Air France in 2005; Valentino, Hermès, Balenciaga, Pierre Balmain and Mary Quant all tried their hand in the sector. Now, details from vintage uniforms have found their way into several contemporary collections: the retro geometric patterns, trapeze shapes and bold colours of Marc by Marc Jacobs, for example; the 1970s prints and colours of Diane von Furstenberg; and the silky pussy-bow blouses of designers everywhere. Not to mention the Duchess of Cambridge's line in neat little hats, which aren't a million (air) miles away from what might be seen on British Airways hostesses.