Prada unveils a surprising, new luxury line – high-tech spacesuits for female astronauts

One small step for women, one giant leap for this fashion house.

The first woman to set foot on the moon will wear designer clothes – a Prada space suit, to be exact.

A “next-generation space suit,” unveiled Wednesday morning at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, is as stylish as the bulky, white ensemble can be, and is equipped with technologically advanced features to protect astronauts and to allow for optimal performance.

The “Extravehicular Mobility Unit” – the technical name for the space suit – was designed by Prada, in partnership with Axiom Space, for NASA’s Artemis III mission.

The launch is planned to be the first human landing on the moon since 1972 and could launch as early as 2026.

“We’ve broken the mold,” Matt Ondler, president of Axiom Space, said in a statement. “The Axiom Space-Prada partnership has set a new foundational model for cross-industry collaboration, further expanding what is possible in commercial space.

Don’t expect the “unit” to be emblazoned with a Prada logo, though.

According to Vogue, this is conspicuously absent from all-white ensembles—the only hint the fashion house wants viewers to know.

The suit features red stripes, apparently a nod to the trademark red markings on the uniforms made for the America’s Cup sailing team Luna Rossa, which translates to “Red Moon,” according to the paper.

The suit — which has undergone rigorous testing and is nearing completion — was designed with style and utility in mind, protecting astronauts from the treacherous lunar atmosphere while also “visually inspiring future exploration,” according to the press release. It features “an aesthetically appealing white outer layer” created with “innovative stitching methods” to be comfortable yet built for optimal performance.

It can withstand the moon’s freezing temperatures for at least two hours and endure eight-hour spacewalks, while also featuring life support systems, pressure suits and more that “meet exploration needs and expand capabilities scientific”.

“Partnering with Axiom Space has been an unprecedented journey,” Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer and head of corporate responsibility for Prada, told Vogue.

“I am especially proud of our teams who have worked to provide tailored solutions to increase astronaut comfort and flexibility.”

The Artemis III mission – which will carry the first woman and black person to the lunar surface – plans to land walkers on the moon near the lunar South Pole and is just one expedition in the program’s plan to explore the moon. in a way we’ve never had before,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in an earlier statement.

As the space agency plans more trips to outer space, the team at Prada is also planning for a star-studded future and has proposed a “new high-performance yarn knitting processes or near-seamless manufacturing that could become interesting solutions in the future for spacesuits. team to consider,” Bertelli told Vogue.

“We are pioneering a new era in space exploration, where partnerships are essential to the commercialization of space,” Russell Ralston, Axiom Space’s executive vice president of extravehicular activity, said in a statement.

“Partnerships build a strong and cohesive team, enabling industry experts to deliver cutting-edge technology, products and specialized services to drive innovation. For the first time, we are leveraging expertise in other industries to create a better solution for space.â€