Space suits and boots have never looked so stylish thanks to the work of Y-3, a fashion collaboration between Adidas and Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto.
The team has just unveiled some classy gear for future Virgin Galactic pilots so they can look suitably snazzy when they eventually get to take wealthy folks skyward on sub-orbital space trips costing $250,000 a ticket.
The striking black suits are made from Nomex meta aramid, which happens to be the same flame-retardant material worn by the likes of firefighters and astronauts on space walks, according to PSFK. The boots, meanwhile, are made from Nomex and leather, and look as smart as they do sturdy.
It’s conceivable Virgin boss Richard Branson pleaded with the designers to include bright flashes of red, purple and white in the new apparel, but Y-3 was thankfully having none of it, opting instead for this far more effective all-black design.
The new gear, which was shown off Thursday at Virgin Galactic’s Spaceport America terminal in New Mexico, looks pretty close-fitting, though Y-3 says the design “fully supports a pilot’s natural seating position as identified through a series of tests and trials with the Virgin Galactic pilot corps.” That’s good to know, as the sight of a pilot squirming in their seat trying to pull their pants out of whatever bodily crevice they happen to be caught in would likely instill very little confidence in a high-paying passenger, and would surely be an unwelcome distraction from the stunning scenery on offer 60 miles up.
“We wanted to make sure that the suits looked bold, strong and confident,” Y-3’s Lawrence Midwood told PSFK, and in that aim, the team has surely succeeded.
Y-3 says the new space gear is ready for pilots to start trialing during Virgin Galactic’s flight test program, with feedback used to further tweak the designs.
Virgin Galactic’s passengers, it seems, will be wearing a different outfit for their once-in-a-lifetime pleasure flight. However, those who’ve already put down a deposit are set to receive one of the jackets as a special gift, though at $250K a pop a few will probably be asking for the pants, too. And the boots.
After suffering a tragic setback in 2014, Virgin Galactic is now ready to take a big step forward with its ambitious project to provide sub-orbital adventures for space tourists, next month unveiling an all new SpaceShipTwo craft.
The space plane, which it’s hoped will one day take two pilots and six tourists on unforgettable rides to the edge of space, will be unveiled at the Mojave Air and Space Port on February 19.
