When you think of high-end fashion, your first thought probably wouldn’t involve moon landings and space suits; however, there has been a definite and continuous prevalence on creating new age, futuristic design in the fashion world throughout history.
Through geometric shapes, technicolour materials and inspiration drawn directly from astronaut space-wear, this form of fashion continues to surprise and excite the masses from the catwalk and the high street alike. Here we look at four times throughout history that ‘space age’ fashion has really been revolutionary.
60s materials
According to an article in the Spokesman, the swinging sixties were an era of pushing social boundaries; in the fashion world, unusual materials were being used to craft garments for the first time. Major fashion houses began turning out bold, bright vinyl collections inspired by space-wear and designed to catch the eye. PVC and futuristic metallic materials were also prevalent. Geometric shapes and unisex clothing began to blur social boundaries, exciting and entrancing the public.
Ralph Lauren Nasa jacket
You couldn’t get more Buzz Aldrin than this look. Released in the early 90s, this snow jacket was designed to look like a vintage spacesuit with a suitably space-like orbital patch emblazoned on the sleeve. Snug and space-like, this jacket was definitely out of this world. Interestingly, a similar jacket appeared on the market just last year from fashion house Alpha Industries, which shows that space-age never really goes out of fashion.
Moon boots
In the late 70s, a footwear brand called Tecnica introduced a range of footwear that almost mirrored the moon boots worn by the Apollo 11 astronauts. Large rubber soles and long, foamy sides were the trademark look of the time. Today, modern trainers are a little more subtle, but the high-top look with bold colours and holographic detail gives a nod to the outer space theme and looks great with mens Farah shirts from stockists such as www.ejmenswear.com/men/farah/.
Versace autumn collection
In 2016, the Versace autumn collection drew massive inspiration from space, ironically around the same time that the original ‘rocket man’ David Bowie sadly passed away. Jeans and bomber jackets appeared with orbital designs, such as star constellations, in crisp monochrome. The message behind the collection was that space is a clean, fresh place.