As anyone who is hip and with it will tell you, the only thing that youths today like more than the term "hipster" is a man in a pinstripe fedora. And what do they love most of all? Geometric ascots. Obviously.


Capitalizing on this burgeoning fashion movement, Air Canada has recently unveiled a new uniform for its new discount international airline Air Canada Rouge — because low-budget shouldn't mean low-class (tips pinstripe fedora coyly). According to a press release, the look is meant to foster a "fresh, comfortable, and vacation-like environment." Also, it's "on-trend and fresh." Did I mention "fresh"?

Combining Internet reactions to the uniforms with my own impressions, the speculated inspiration for the design is a rugged hellscape lorded over by Justin Timberlake and every single extra on the set of Glee, in which it is blasphemy to have your pants fit properly.


Renee Smith-Valade, vice president of customer experience at Air Canada Rouge, is unperturbed by dissenters. In an email exchange with Bloomberg Businessweek, she wrote:

Our personality, which is fresh and youthful, seems to be the impression that’s coming through. The terms being used so far all have a youthful, on-trend context so that’s a success in our books.

That's right: you do you, Air Canada Rouge!

The airline plans to keep the uniforms in service for the next five to seven years, so they have a little bit of time to catch up with what's truly "fresh" before releasing their next batch of uniforms. Any guesses on what that will look like? Here's mine.


"Attention, Passengers: This Is Your Hipster Flight Attendant Speaking" [Bloomberg Businessweek]

Image via Air Canada.