LADIES FIRST

It started with lonely soldiers in World War I, painting their sweethearts (or would- be sweethearts) on their cloth-and-wood aircraft. By World War II, the pinup girls had become iconic, and a generation later, inspired a young music entrepreneur soon after he started dabbling in trans-Atlantic travel.

THE VARGA GIRL

was the original Virgin Atlantic “flying lady,” named after Peruvian artist Alberto Vargas, based on his illustration in the December 1943 issue of Esquire.

DITA VON TEESE,

burlesque artist, marked the airline’s 10th anniversary with her likeness on the nose of a jet flying from London to Las Vegas.

AUSTIN POWERS

did his own “one- off” star turn as a Virgin pinup. Other temporary icons have included Where’s Wally and Harry Potter.

GALACTIC GIRL

soars across the nose of VMS Eve, the spacecraft- carrying Virgin Mother Ship named for Richard Branson’s actual mother, Eve. (The bold blonde icon was modeled on her, too.)

ZADIE,

introduced in 2019, is the first of five diverse “flying icons” designed by Toby Tinsley to replace the former pinups. Her companions will include Rey, Daley, Oscar, and Meera.

SCARLET LADY,

introduced as a “mystical mermaid,” shares her name with her ship. Toby Tinsley based her look on ladies from other Virgin vessels in the Atlantic, Australia, and Galactic lines — with a special seagoing twist.