An outfit truly out of this world is the brand new spacesuit revealed by haute couture brand Prada, created for NASA. While Prada is known for its heirloom fashion looks with ambassadors that embody the word heritage, the luxury brand's newest venture has put it at the forefront of audacious fashion houses that are changing the game.
The space suit, co-designed with Axiom Space, will allegedly be worn by the first woman and the first person of colour to ever land on the moon. According to NASA, the moment will probably happen in September 2026 for the Artemis III mission. The spacesuit itself was revealed at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan during a presentation by Prada and partner Axiom Space.
“We are pioneering a new era in space exploration. For the first time, we are leveraging expertise in other industries to craft a better solution for space,” said Russell Ralston, Axiom Space’s Executive Vice President of Extravehicular Activity. Prada's Group Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Lorenzo Bertelli said, “Partnering with Axiom Space has been an unprecedented journey. I am particularly proud of our teams who have worked to provide tailor-made solutions to increase astronauts’ comfort and flexibility.”
The space suit’s collaboration was specifically focused on the outer-layer design and material fabrication. The brief the brand was given was given was to provide a suit that would “visually inspire future space exploration”. Axiom’s engineers also added that “Prada’s expertise enabled advanced technologies and innovative sewing methods to bridge the gap between highly engineered functionality and an aesthetically appealing white outer layer”.
{{/usCountry}}The space suit’s collaboration was specifically focused on the outer-layer design and material fabrication. The brief the brand was given was given was to provide a suit that would “visually inspire future space exploration”. Axiom’s engineers also added that “Prada’s expertise enabled advanced technologies and innovative sewing methods to bridge the gap between highly engineered functionality and an aesthetically appealing white outer layer”.
{{/usCountry}}On the moon, this spacesuit will allow its astronauts to “withstand extreme temperatures at the lunar south pole and endure the coldest temperatures in the permanently shadowed regions for at least two hours. Astronauts will be able to perform spacewalks for at least eight hours”. While there is no Prada logo anywhere, a few red lines represent Prada’s Linea Rossa technical line which was first developed to outfit its America’s Cup sailing team, Luna Rossa. In Italian, Luna Rossa roughly translates as Red Moon.
“This is really, I think, the opportunity to make space closer to people,” said Mr. Bertelli. “Sometimes, a lot of stuff starts as a kind of a game, and then it becomes something more. There is a risk, but we take that risk.” While the astronauts have not been announced yet, NASA has commented that “for the benefit of all humanity, NASA and its partners will land the first woman and first person of colour on the surface of the Moon with Artemis”.