Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Duty Free Global from Ireland, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
SRI LANKA. Today’s delightfully vibrant images are from Sri Lanka where independent travel retailer One World Duty Free has unveiled new staff uniforms to celebrate the Keira Zhang-owned company’s first anniversary of trading at the downtown Port City complex in Colombo.
The chic new look is the work of Kenolee Diyathma, a remarkably talented 18-year-old fashion student, designer and art & English teacher, who comments in a LinkedIn post: “As a fashion design student, contributing to a functioning uniform system for an international duty-free brand marks a significant professional milestone.”
Kenolee explains that the design was developed in alignment with the brand’s expectation of a cabin crew-inspired aesthetic, emphasising professionalism, discipline and service excellence.
The dress for the women sales staff draws inspiration from the Singaporean kebaya, reflected in the structured neckline and button detailing, reinterpreted into a contemporary and functional form, she observes.
The colour palette is derived from One World Duty Free’s brand identity, ensuring visual consistency across the retail space while positioning staff as an extension of the brand itself.
“This experience allowed me to translate cultural references and corporate values into a uniform that reflects international standards and operational functionality,” Kenolee observes.
Commenting on the post, One World Duty Free Retail Operations Manager Retail Operations Manager Anjalee Kaushalya says: “We are very proud to see this uniform successfully implemented at One World Duty Free, Port City Sri Lanka. As a fresh designer, your ability to translate our brand identity and international standards into a refined, functional design is truly commendable.”
The kudos to the ultra-talented young designer didn’t stop there. AMDT School of Creativity Founder/Director – Brands & Technology Satheesh Kumar wrote, “Big congratulations to our year 1, BA (Hons) Fashion Design student Kenolee Diyathma on having her design officially implemented as the uniform for One World Duty Free at Port City Sri Lanka.
“Turning a concept into a real-world uniform system, designed to meet a client’s requirements, for an international retail environment is no small achievement. This project reflects strong thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to translate brand identity into functional design.”
Staff uniforms are rarely mentioned in travel retail media. But they are an important component of any retailer’s branding and their commitment to warm and gracious service. The combination of Keira Zhang’s vision and a young woman’s gifted design talents have combined to deliver both attributes in consummate manner. ✈
