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All dressed up and to the moon, we go! Prada has announced that it is working with Axiom Space to outfit the next generation of astronauts heading to the moon.

Planned for 2025, the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17 will also feature the first partnership between an Italian luxury house and a commercial space company.

In support of the Artemis III mission, Prada and Axiom will be working to perfect materials and features suited for space exploration, so its not all about looks, but rather about durability and efficient design.

“The constantly forward-thinking ethos of Prada for humanity has broadened to his desire of adventure and to brave new horizons: space,” Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group’s marketing director, said in a statement.

The Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) is a unique design that will help astronauts live and work on the moon. With advanced capabilities to increase flexibility, give better protection against the environment, and house specialised tools for carrying out research, the spacesuits are a far cry from just a pair of snazzy cargo pants.

Prada might not be the first name that comes up when you talk about space, but the truth is that the fashion house has been dabbling in future technologies for quite some time now, starting with its designs for the America Cup teams in the 90s. The Italian brand will now build on this innovation and apply its designs to the Artemis programme.

“Our decades of experimentation, cutting-edge technology and design know-how will now be applied to the design of a spacesuit for the Artemis era,” Bertelli said. “It is a true celebration of the power of human creativity and innovation to advance civilization.”

Axiom Space might not be in the spotlight as much as SpaceX, but the company has been sending missions to the International Space Station for some time now, including running the world’s first commercial space station in low-Earth orbit. So they know space, while Prada knows suits.

The final design of the spacesuit is not yet known, but with this strange collaboration, there might be some distinct ‘space-inspired’ designs on their future runways.

“Prada’s technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy spacesuits,” Axiom Space CEO Michael Suffredini said in a statement.

 

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It’s a clever move by Prada – not many designer houses can lay claim to having a galactic fashion line. They could even be the first to set up a sweatshop on the moon.

This collaboration gives off strong Fifth Element vibes though. The 90s sci-fi movie featured clothes designs by Jean-Paul Gaultier and proved that space travel can be sexy. If we ever meet the aliens, we need to look our best.

[source:robbreport]