Hawaiian Airlines is changing the color palette of its uniforms in celebration of the company's 80th anniversary on Nov. 11.

Azure — representing the color of Hawaii's ocean and sky — and gray are now the dominant colors, with Hawaiian's traditional purple appearing as an accent color.

The state's oldest carrier yesterday showcased the new uniforms that will be worn by its flight attendants and customer service employees beginning Sunday. The unveiling took place at a luncheon being hosted at Washington Place and attended by Gov. Linda Lingle.

The new uniforms to be worn by more than 1,800 employees systemwide are the product of a yearlong collaborative effort among line employees and managers of the company aimed at having them ready in time for Hawaiian's anniversary.

Hawaii designer Emma Howard incorporated the input from employees in creating the new uniform's print design, drawing inspiration from the Hawaiian word “;makahiki,”; which resulted from combining the words for “;flight”; and “;movement.”; Design elements in the new uniforms feature:

» The star grouping Makali'i, whose ascension in late October and early November (the period of Hawaiian's founding in 1929) signals the start of makahiki, a time of rejuvenation in the traditional Hawaiian calendar.

» A petroglyph of Lono, the Hawaiian god of clouds, the sea and productivity.

» The fish opelu and akule, both of which were traditionally caught during the period of makahiki.

» The bird noio, because of its importance to Polynesian voyagers who knew they were approaching land when it was seen.

“;Uniforms are an important expression of a company's identity, and Hawaiian's identity is its people,”; said Mark Dunkerley, president and chief executive officer of Hawaiian. “;That's why I am so pleased with our new look — it is a perfect reflection of the modern Hawaiian Airlines employee. It conveys their confidence and pride in their professionalism, as well as their respect for our history and the Hawaiian culture, with a contemporary sense of classic style.”;

A central objective of the company's employee-driven uniform committee was to give the uniforms a more sophisticated, forward-looking appearance, while retaining a distinctive, evocative image in a world of navy colors favored by other carriers.

“;We wanted something that was timeless and classic with a print design that would be identifiable as being not only from Hawaii, but uniquely Hawaiian Airlines,”; said Kim Meyer, a 19-year flight attendant and member of the company's uniform committee.

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