Air New Zealand Clothes Hangar

The designers’ solution was to create a space with a nod to a swept-up eclectic kiwi bach, providing staff a ‘shopping’ experience like none other. Gascoigne Associates consulted with Saatchi Design Worldwide to ensure the tie in with ‘the common thread’ sub-brand idea and on the design of the wall decals, wallpaper and ‘pictures’.

The colour palette is predominantly white incorporating the colours of the many interesting pieces of the new look uniform. Walls are finished in white random patterned ‘V’ grooved panelling. Floors are a washed oak laminate and together they provide the perfect backdrop to the ‘blue’ tube racking, which ‘taxis’ its way around the ‘shop’ and into the fitting rooms, which reflects the ‘common thread’ concept throughout the space.

Brightly coloured Kartell furniture and accessories are positioned on shelves around the walls alongside ‘framed’ ‘graffiti’ prints extracted directly from the back of the men’s waistcoat design. The ‘check-out’ area is highlighted with a bright pink counter with ‘graffiti’ designs printed on textured wallpaper. Outside the ‘check-out’ space is a large ornate framed window covered in Polaroid images of staff in their new uniforms.

The ‘Styling Room’ with on-site beauty consultants offers staff the opportunity to select new shoes and beauty consultants can demonstrate preferred make-up applications and hair styles to fully accent the new uniform. On leaving staff are asked to write a comment about their experience on brightly coloured post-it notes, which are stuck to the entry lobby walls.

The response from Air New Zealand staff, management and uniform designer Trelise Cooper, has been tremendous, all have been ‘blown away’ by the whole experience.

Building Contractor: Format Ltd
Interior Designer: Clark Pritchard and Theresa Ricacho, Gascoigne Associates
Photographer: Katrina Rees and Rebecca Swan
Other Key Contributors: Sign of the Times; Imogen Ovens and Kay Marshall, Air New Zealand
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2011

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