Swissair India

This original Swissair travel poster was designed in 1961 by Nikolaus Schwabe, one of the key figures behind Swissair’s highly regarded modernist advertising campaigns of the early 1960s. Executed in Schwabe’s distinctive collage style, the composition presents a stylized Indian woman with a red bindi, constructed from layered, torn-paper elements. In the softly blurred background, the monumental silhouette of an elephant evokes India’s cultural heritage and sense of scale, creating a poetic contrast between intimacy and grandeur.

Issued by Swissair, the poster reflects the airline’s approach of combining contemporary graphic design with strong cultural symbolism to promote long-haul destinations. The muted, atmospheric color palette and abstracted forms exemplify the refined visual language Swissair became known for during this period.

Dated 1961. The poster is in very good condition, with light, consistent age wear typical of vintage airline posters.