mahabis photo essay // jet by arthur mebius

'come fly with me, come fly, come fly way' sang sinatra back in the days when air travel was new and chic, and flight attendants were air hostesses and usually ex-beauty pageant titleholders who dreamed of seeing the world.

with the exception of the hostesses, air travel was a predominantly male arena, and mebius' photography captures how the airlines used the allure of the hostesses to add a touch of glamour and desire. this photo essay re-creates those golden days of air travel, with tongue firmly in cheek. 

mebius' scenes show style above safety. the pilots were distinguished, whilst the hostesses wore minis, red lipstick and hats. however, mebius also captures the awkward and displaced moments in between this illusion of glamour.

in addition to the flight staff, passengers dressed in style also. flying was an event and a luxury, and the laminate mock wood walling and patterned seat covers, whilst now appear incredibly kitsch, were a true sign of the times. 

 mebius plays with satire in the poses and composition of his shots. in the above, the air hostess practices the usual safety presentation, whilst the passenger takes a drag on a cigarette. 

see the rest of the photo essay at arthur mebius' behance portfolio. you can also see more of mebius' cheeky works at his website arthurmebius.com.