Cathay Pacific Airways shows more than a catwalk in 60th Year Anniversary celebration

The fashion gala took center stage on November 6 and 7 at the Fairmont Hotel with more than just pictures of glamour. The show titled 'Walking on Air' has given a new meaning to the celebration as Cathay Pacific brought on its own production team to set up the show.

Cathay Pacific's Country Manager for the UAE and Oman, James Evans commented, "It was a very exciting gala night for all of us as we celebrated the many milestones Cathay Pacific has reached in the past 60 years. 60 years is an auspicious birthday in Chinese culture, and this made the celebration all the more special."

Cathay Pacific cabin crew models dressed up in neatly pleated suits and adorned with caps carrying tiny emblems of the airline paraded before VIP guests and executives, as well as Cathay Pacific's loyal customers and frequent flyers. The models graced the catwalk in various professional uniforms, showcasing the airline's six decades of in-flight fashion.

"Our aim was to re-tell the story of Cathay Pacific, from the humble beginnings of two entrepreneurs with one aircraft in 1946 to the airline group with 146 aircraft that we have today. The airline's achievements and the fond memories of in-flight experiences over the years, are well worth celebrating," continued Evans.

The evening on the 6th was concluded with the Agents' Awards presentation, under the theme "Partners in Progress". The awards were given in recognition of the untiring support of the UAE's travel and tours industry.

In-house Production
The self-styled fashion show was set up by Cathay Pacific's own production team composed of 14 staffs and crew from the Cathay Pacific network who flew to Dubai especially for the event.

Iris Lim, one of the production members actively involved with the show commented, "It is a unique concept in the airline industry and we are glad to help the UAE team in presenting the show in Dubai. We have done all the arrangements, from production design to lighting and direction."

Some of the airline's historic uniforms have been created by famous-name designers including Hermes, Pierre Balmain, Nina Ricci and Hong Kong's designer to the stars Eddie Lau.

The fashion gala concept was presented in various modes throughout the network. From July through September, selected Cathay Pacific cabin crews and ground staff wore the vintage uniforms, adding a splash of colour and fun to flights across the network. The entire uniform collection was paraded on aircraft aisles on the 24th September, the day on which Cathay Pacific was founded in Hong Kong 60 years ago.

"We salute our loyal customers in the region and thank them for being part of the past 60 years. The uniform fashion show is one way of remembering special moments in our history and I'm sure many people will have fondly recalled the different styles over decades," concluded Evans.

Cathay Pacific is also giving away free postcards showing stylish pictures of the vintage uniforms. Passengers can ask a member of the cabin crew in-flight for a postcard if they wish to write to a friend.