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From Courrèges’s 1964 “Moon Girl” look to Prada’s 2025 Artemis III spacesuits, the fascination of fashion with outer space continues to extend.
Technology in Fashion
05 September, 2025
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Space has always fascinated people for decades and fashion has been the mirror that people use and cosmic curiosity is not an exception. Starting from the 1960s by André Courrèges and Paco Rabanne, the Space Age look has been crafted to embody optimism about the Space Race. Since then, the innovators and fashion houses have reinterpreted the interstellar styles from avant-garde runways to direct collaborations with aerospace programmes. Today, the brands continue to explore the intersection of cosmos and fashion.
André Courrèges hosted the show of the 1964 Space Age collection with silver fabrics, white PVC, flat boots, and goggles which became the defining feature of the iconic Moon Girl aesthetic. His futuristic styling has anticipated the moon landing and garnered him a personal invite to NASA’s mission control.
Paco Rabanne has converted the experimental materials into a futuristic armour. His metallic chainmail dresses and creations, featured in the 1968 sci-fi film Barbarella, created a strong base for him as fashion’s alien provocateur.
Pierre Cardin introduced the 1969 Space Age and Futurism show, featuring vinyl body stockings and rocket-flared dresses. He became the first civilian to try on the spacesuit of Armstrong. He later created his own prototype designs for NASA.
Thierry Mugler launched the AW79 collection, which comprised gold spacesuits and silver pleated dresses with helmet-style headgear. His otherworld-like, dramatic silhouettes inspired his perfume Alien.
Issey Miyake had the pleated polyester saucer dresses cascading over the body like some kind of UFOs (unidentified flying objects). It blended Japanese craftsmanship with extraterrestrial visuals.
Alexander McQueen showcased AW99 collection for Givenchy explored Y2K anxieties and androids with sci-fi fabrics, LED-based garments, and metallic runways, displaying the fear of hitting the year 2000, which in turn looked more like space age-y.
Nicolas Ghesquière made the SS07 collection for Balenciaga, citing The Terminator and Tron as major inspirations, nodded to then space opera Star Wars with the gold armour-style leggings reminiscent of C-3PO.
Hussein Chalayan also stuck in the future space age with his SS07 show featuring transformative garments that morphed in front of the audiences. The collection echoed futuristic metamorphosis and wizardry in sci-fi.
Christopher Kane dropped a resort 2011 collection that pioneered galaxy prints taken from NASA’s Hubble telescope imagery. The vibrant, nebula-printed chiffon and leather pieces had an igniting galactic firework-like look due to that imagery.
Raff Simons’s AW14 couture show for Dior had silk-taffeta flight suits with glitter embroidery that merged historic references, fashion’s stake in space travel and futuristic silhouettes. The show also had a reminiscent touch of Simons’s predecessor John Galliano. In 2006, the designer took his final bow in a full astronaut suit.
Donatella Versace integrated NASA batches and patches for AW16 menswear, combining Medusa’s iconography with bomber jackets, constellations embroidery and zodiac prints - all combined with the Versace logo.
Chanel’s iconic AW17 rocket runway had sequined starry gowns, tweeds, and metallic trench coats. The show closed with a branded rocket ready to launch along with a pyrotechnic showcase combined with Elton John’s Rocket Man. It coincided with the news of NASA stating that there might be life-supporting planets in the solar system TRAPPIST-1.
Nicolas Ghesquière presented Louis Vuitton (Louis Vuitton Malletier)’s SS19 collection with intergalactic references through spacecraft prints, floral “spacesuits,” and angular tailoring. The line successfully grasped the “fashion astronaut” archetype, cementing the brand’s ongoing futurist couture style.
Iris van Herpen released the SS19 couture collection, inspired by the star atlas Harmonia Macrocosmica. It featured celestial organza dresses designed with ex-NASA engineer Kim Keever. It is a combination of hi-tech craftsmanship and cosmic art.
Berlin- and Chennai-based brand Biskit launched a capsule collection as a way to pay homage to India’s ISRO and cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma. The collection incorporated graphic patches, prints, and utilitarian silhouettes referencing the space programme of India.
In October 2019, Under Armour collaborated with Virgin Galactic to drop a bespoke spacesuit collection for commercial astronauts (passengers and pilots). It was made with moisture-wicking technology, lightweight fabrics and safety padding. The suits combined functional aspects with futuristic style. This marked one of the first direct collaborations between a sportswear giant and a space-tourism company.
NASA mission patches, techs and logos have repeatedly been appearing in collaborations with brands such as Vans, Nike, Prada, Coach and more. These apparel combine the aerospace iconography and streetwear style.
Military heritage brand Alpha Industries, renowned for its MA-1 bomber jackets, launched multiple NASA-branded collections. These included reflective fabrics, embroidered patches, and astronaut-inspired silhouettes. It gave a window for NASA especially in Europe and Asia due to Alpha’s strong impact with utilitarian and aviation gear.
Coach released a capsule collection showcasing NASA patches, space-age graphics, and metallic accessories in 2017. Leather jackets, bags, and sneakers were combined with retro sci-fi references alongside the NASA logo. This was one of the earliest luxury-streetwear-space collaborations.
Columbia collaborated with NASA contractor Intuitive Machines to test out its Omni-Heat Infinity (a thermal-reflective technology) and Omni-Shade Sun Deflector (shield for sensitive instruments) technologies on the surfaces of lunar landers IM-1 (2024) and IM-2 (2025). These protected spacecraft systems from extreme solar radiation and temperatures. This project reinforced the brand’s positioning as an innovation-driven brand.
Estée Lauder became the first beauty label to collaborate with NASA for a mission by sending its Advanced Night Repair serum to the International Space Station in 2020. The project was with astronauts photographing the product in microgravity. It symbolised beauty’s leap into space while assisting the commercial strategy pathway of NASA.
Heron Preston’s 2018 partnership with NASA was one of the most famous examples of space agency branding in fashion. The collection displayed bright orange hoodies, flight jackets, and accessories with NASA’s mission patches, logo, and typography inspired by astronaut uniforms.
Nike has continuously incorporated NASA references into its designs, while smaller streetwear brands such as Stussy and Anti Social Social Club have also used the logos for limited-edition drops. These small highlights have spotlighted the popularity of space aesthetics among niche audiences.
In 2018, Milan-based brand OAMC created a collection directly inspired by NASA’s utilitarian gear. With mission technical jackets, functional trousers, and patches as main reference, the collection blurred the line between streetwear fashion and aerospace engineering. It received acclaim for making “space agency attire” wearable on Earth.
In October 2023, Prada announced its partnership with Axiom Space to co-design NASA’s new Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuits which was forecasted to be used for the Artemis III mission, the first crewed lunar landing in 2025 since Apollo. Prada had an important role of contributing its expertise in flexible composites, materials research, and craftsmanship to enhance thermal regulation, mobility, and astronaut comfort in extreme lunar conditions.
In 2018, Vans dropped a sneaker collection named “Space Voyager,” influenced by NASA’s archives. Classic silhouettes such as the Old Skool and Sk8-Hi were revitalised in space-suit white and orange. It was then completed with foil details, removable NASA patches, and rocket-inspired soles. The line sold out instantly.
Fashion-tech brand Vollebak released the Martian Aerogel Jacket, incorporating aerogel, a lightest and most insulating material developed by NASA to insulate the Mars Exploration Rovers. The jacket is engineered to withstand extreme cold, making it one of the functional fashions whose usability goes beyond Earth.
Space continues to inspire fashion in profound ways. What began as a 1960s Space Age aesthetic has evolved and adapted into direct partnerships and creations with NASA and other agencies, bridging science, artistry, and commerce. As space tourism changes to reality, fashion becomes more than seeing stars from Earth, it is preparing to design for life among them.
Cover Image: Straight Arrow News