Over the past few months, five fashion schools have been working with the European Space Agency to find out what happens when space-age technologies and materials collide with couture design. The results, shown here, were unveiled at the London Science Museum this week.
Images: ESA
As part of the project — known as Couture in Orbit — designers from the Fashion Akademiet in Denmark, the Politecnico di Milan in Italy and the International University of Art for Fashion in Germany and France were each assigned a theme. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency provided space-certified textiles.
The results perhaps aren’t going to save the wearers from the hostile vacuum of space in their current form — that’s what the space suits of the future are for. But as the space agency points out, the challenge was “to predict the future of fashion in designs that are desirable and practical, while showcasing their national cultures”. Whether they have achieved that, you can decide.
Earlier this month, SpaceX hired the legendary costume designer Jose Fernandez to develop its new in-house spacesuits. He’s probably taking note.
[ESA]