Virgin Atlantic amplifies its premium experience with its first lifestyle collection
- The line of premium products has been produced following customer requests for useful travel essentials
- Collection made with sustainable British designers Fenella Smith and Oliver Co.
- Items include a modern take on Princess Diana’s coveted ‘Fly Virgin Atlantic’ sweatshirt
- The collection is available exclusively from the airline from 5th December
Virgin Atlantic, the airline known for its stylish design, has today launched its first-ever lifestyle collection, featuring a range of fashionable clothing and vegan leather travel essentials, designed to elevate every point of the customer journey.
Produced in collaboration with leading sustainable British designers Fenella Smith and Oliver Co, the collection has been inspired by the needs of Virgin Atlantic’s rich customer base. The airline regularly receives requests for travel essentials, which include passport covers and travel totes, and had led the airline to work with the famous British designers to make those requests a reality.
Premium items include the iconic 'Queen of the Skies' jumper (£70), inspired by the ‘Fly Virgin Atlantic’ sweatshirt famously worn by Princess Diana in the 1980s. The jumper is available in two stunning colours, classic navy and cream and perfectly captures Virgin Atlantic's style in super soft cotton – perfect for every occasion on and off the runway.
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’ plane. The aircraft is part of Virgin Atlantic’s long standing support of the LGBTQ+ community, most recently updating its gender identity policy which gives its people the option to choose which of the iconic uniforms best represents them – no matter their gender, gender identity, or gender expression.
Virgin Atlantic's commitment to elevating its customers journeys both in the air and on the ground remains integral to the range, which also includes a contemporary and luxury canvas travel tote (£90), flight bag (£95), jumpers and t-shirts with the airline’s iconic flying icons (£70/£35), Runway ready pouch (£60), High Flyer passport holders (£70), Hello luggage tags (£40)and Virgin Atlantic playing cards (£12). Each are designed with Virgin Atlantic’s instantly recognisable red seamlessly woven throughout. Alongside these travel essentials, Virgin Atlantic’s 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.
As Britain’s flag carrier, 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. This lifestyle collection truly encapsulates the essence of Virgin Atlantic's brand and efforts to create thoughtful experience for its customers and people.
The items designed in collaboration with Oliver Co, including the passport holder, luggage tag, landing gear pouch and card holder, 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.
Shai Weiss, CEO at Virgin Atlantic, commented;
"On our mission to be the most loved travel company, we’re committed to elevating our customer experience at every opportunity. 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.”
British designer and founder, Fenella Smith, commented;
“Virgin Atlantic's iconic brand and focus on seeing things differently align perfectly with my creative vision of celebrating colourful self-expression.
“My pieces for the collection place Virgin Atlantic's vibrant red at the forefront, creating stylish accessories that are perfect no matter what the occasion. Each has been crafted to not only capture the airline's elegance but to also serve as a canvas for self-expression.""
Matthew Oliver, Founder and Creative Director of Oliver Co, commented;
“Our pieces for Virgin Atlantic’s first-ever lifestyle collection are a celebration of the airline's iconic colours through design-led travel essentials made from the latest in material innovation.
Together, we've created a collection that not only represents Virgin Atlantic's style but also reflects our shared dedication to minimising our environmental impact. It is a testament to the idea that products can and should be designed sustainably, without compromising on looks or functionality."
To explore Virgin Atlantic's debut lifestyle collection and bring a touch of Virgin Atlantic's spirit into your daily life, visit https://corporate.virginatlantic.com/gb/en/lifestyle-collection.html
Virgin Atlantic lifestyle collection includes:
● High Flyer passport holder – £70
● Hello luggage tag – £40
● Big Spender card holder – £50
● Landing gear travel wallet – £90
● Canvas travel tote – £90
● Flight bag – £95
● Runway ready pouch – £60
● Billie Holiday jumper (available in blue and cream) – £70
● Billie Holiday t-shirt (available in blue and cream) – £35
● Queen of the Skies jumper (available in blue and cream) – £70
● Queen of the Skies t-shirt (available in blue and cream) – £35
● Rain Bow jumper (available in blue and cream) – £70
● Rain Bow t-shirt (available in blue and cream) – £35
● Virgin Atlantic playing cards – £12
● Virgin Atlantic pronoun badge card – £10
ENDS
Notes to Editor
For more information please contact: press.office@fly.virgin.com
About Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic was founded by entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson in 1984, with innovation and amazing customer service at its core. In 2023, Virgin Atlantic was voted Britain’s only Global Five Star Airline by APEX for the seventh year running in the Official Airline Ratings. Headquartered in London, it employs more than 7,500 people worldwide, flying customers to 30 destinations across four continents throughout the year.
Alongside shareholder and Joint Venture partner Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic operates a leading transatlantic network, with onward connections to over 200 cities around the world. In February 2020, Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic launched an expanded Joint Venture, offering a comprehensive route network, convenient flight schedules, competitive fares and reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem miles across all carriers. Virgin Atlantic joined SkyTeam in March 2023 as the global airline alliance’s first and only UK member airline, enhancing the alliance’s transatlantic network and services to and from Heathrow and Manchester Airport.
Virgin Atlantic has been pioneering sustainability leadership for more than 15 years, committing to Net Zero by 2050 and continuous action that reduces environmental impact. The airline operates one of the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleets in the skies and has reduced its absolute carbon emissions by 35% over the last decade. In October 2022, Virgin Atlantic welcomed the first of 16 A330-900neos to the fleet, continuing its transformation towards 100% next generation aircraft by 2027. Later in 2023, Virgin Atlantic is leading an industry consortium to deliver the first 100% SAF flight across the transatlantic. Demonstrating that 100% SAF can be used safely as a drop in fuel in existing infrastructure, engines and airframes. The need to scale production is an industry imperative and Virgin Atlantic is committed to radical collaboration across the energy chain to support commercialisation ahead of 2030.
For more information visit www.virginatlantic.com or via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @virginatlantic.
About Fenella Smith
Fenella Smith, British accessories design brand, was founded to bring difference to a saturated market by designing and making high quality sustainable products for everyone, where everything we make has recycled or compostable materials and at a value and quality that everybody can access. We bring a playfulness to a premium mid market that is awash with serious brands.
We use colour to create accessories that add joy to those in-between moments, everyday. Travel, work and play. Journey with colourfully designed and sustainably produced accessories. Gorgeous gifts, and little luxuries for all of us.
About Oliver Co.
Oliver Co is a london-based premium accessories brand with the single aim of creating beautiful design led products that cause as little environmental impact as possible. With a rich background in sustainable design and high-end watch design, Matt Oliver founded the company to marry his expertise and build a brand that considers everything, from design to impact, and push towards a circular future. In 2017, Matt set about producing 50 wallets from a leather alternative made using apple waste, sold them to friends and family, and from there the company was born. Today Oliver Co continues to be dedicated to connecting the latest in material technology with an endless obsession for detail. Circularity remains a central objective and continues to drive the business forward.