New Turkish Airlines uniforms raise eyebrows

ISTANBUL

New uniforms of THY are designed by Dilek Hanifi, Turkish designer.

The new uniforms of Turkish Airlines (THY) hosts and hostesses have raised eyebrows in Turkey after the photos of the new designs have leaked to Twitter. The public has found the new clothing very conservative, stirring controversy on social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. The new outfits, which were created by famous Turkish designer Dilek Hanif, have been first published on Twitter and later on spread by Facebook.

Hanif told the daily Hürriyet that the uniforms have not been fully completed and the design process is still ongoing. Lots of people have shared the photos and criticized the designs, saying that they are far too conservative.

The most-criticized parts of the uniforms are the hats. Some have claimed the hats – along with the whole outfit – are reminiscent of costumes in the Ottoman-era TV serial “The Magnificent Century” (Muhteşem Yüzyıl). Hanif said the photos are only sample models and not the real designs. Turkish airlines general manager Temel Kotil has said he has not seen the uniforms and cannot criticize them, but added that whatever THY does, it does with beauty.

THY representatives have responded to the Twitter reactions, saying the uniform designs have not been finalized yet.

Daily Habertürk published comments from other Turkish designers, such as the famous Yıldırım Mayruk, who said Dilek Hanif’s designs are nothing but a “joke.”

Designer Vural Gökçaylı said the clothes do not reflect Turkey. “The clothes look like they belong to Kuwait or Saudi Arabian Airlines. However, they should reflect Turkey and Turkey is not this.”