Will Dollies with Trolleys Take to the Skies?

L O N D O N, May 31 -- "Place your seat backs forward, your trays in their upright position … and keep your hands off my tail."

Standard flight attendant patter? Not yet, but it could be next year, at least over the Atlantic, as British Airways flight staff get fitted for new uniforms from a glamorous young designer better known for dressing starlets in skimpy, sparkly couture.

Designer Julien MacDonald, recently tapped as artistic director for the French fashion house of Givenchy, has been commissioned by the national carrier to revamp its staff uniforms. The several hundred-thousand dollar deal will put his uniforms on some 32,000 airline representatives by 2002.

Although MacDonald has not yet gone public with his planned design, he says he has a 21st Century concept in mind. The uniforms will have "the MacDonald stamp; a tight waist and sharp silhouette. The main color will be navy and I'll be using lots of stretch material, which helps define the body."

Macdonald explained his approach: "I want to bring glamour back to travel. That's what it's all about. The girls will look sexy and the men will look like strong heroes. They'll be the envy of other airlines."

Famous Fashions in the Sky

It's not the first time big-name designers have flown their fashions. Oleg Cassini did up TWA uniforms as far back as the 1950s. In the 1960s, Pierre Balmain designed a sarong-style Singapore Airlines uniform. And in the 1970s, Valentino created a hot pants outfit for TWA, Jean Louis crafted wear for United, and Pucci did up a psychedelic design for Braniff.

But MacDonald's plans to bring the catwalk to the plane cabin are hitting turbulence, especially from the union that represents flight attendants.

"Our members should not be dressed as sex objects," says a spokesman from the Transport and General Workers' Union, which has 44,000 members in the civil air transport section. "Some female stewards have voiced concern that a too-revealing uniform would be inappropriate and could lead to an increase in cases of harassment and 'air-rage' incidents."