Virgin Atlantic has just launched its first-ever lifestyle collection, featuring a range of branded clothing items and vegan-friendly leather travel essentials. The launch follows customer requests for high-quality and sustainable travel essentials and comes just in time for last-minute Christmas purchases.
Produced in collaboration with leading sustainable British designers Fenella Smith and Oliver Co, the collection was inspired by customer requests made to the carrier for travel essentials. The range includes passport covers and travel totes as well as premium branded apparel made from high-quality cotton.
Premium items include the iconic ‘Queen of the Skies’ sweatshirt, inspired by the ‘Fly Virgin Atlantic’ sweatshirt famously worn by Princess Diana in the 1980s.
The Virgin Atlantic lifestyle collection also features a jumper emblazoned with the airline’s LGBTQ+ icon Oscar, who features on the side of Virgin Atlantic’s ‘Rain Bow’ Airbus A350-1000 plane.
This aircraft, registered G-VPRD, represents Virgin Atlantic’s long-standing support of the LGBTQ+ community. The carrier recently updated its gender identity policy giving staff the option to choose which of the iconic uniforms best represents them regardless of their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.
According to the airline, the new range represents “Virgin Atlantic’s commitment to elevating its customers’ journeys both in the air and on the ground”.
The lifestyle collection also includes a contemporary canvas travel tote bag, branded flight bag, as well as jumpers and T-shirts that feature one of the airline’s iconic flying icons as displayed on the forward fuselage of each of its 41 aircraft. Other items available in the range include a runway-ready pouch, passport holders, luggage tags, and Virgin Atlantic playing cards.
Virgin Atlantic’s iconic pronoun badges will also be available to purchase for the first time since their inception last year as part of the airline’s updated uniform policy.
The collaboration with sustainable British designers Fenella Smith and Oliver Co. “underlines Virgin Atlantic’s dedication to promoting British design while spotlighting the airline’s environmental commitments,” according to a statement by the airline.
“This lifestyle collection truly encapsulates the essence of Virgin Atlantic’s brand and efforts to create thoughtful experiences for its customers and people,” the airline continued.
The items designed in collaboration with Oliver Co, including the passport holder, luggage tag, landing gear pouch, and cardholder, are made from tea-based plant leather which gives another British nod to this classic collection. The tea alternative uses less energy in production compared to other plant-based leathers that use fruit waste which requires an energy-intensive drying process.
“On our mission to be the most loved travel company, we’re committed to elevating our customer experience at every opportunity,” said Shai Weiss, CEO at Virgin Atlantic. “Our passion for design is one of the things our customers love most, and this brand-new travel range will enhance their journey, both on and off the runway.”
“Collaborating with talented British designers Fenella Smith and Oliver Co, we’ve curated a collection of responsibly crafted pieces, each underpinned by our commitment to providing a premium experience, while making every customer touchpoint as sustainable as possible,” Weiss added.
To see the full range of Virgin Atlantic’s debut lifestyle collection, click here.
