Space Fashion Convergence: the intersection of cosmos and style
In an unusual fusion of fashion and space exploration, a group of European fashion schools came together to create the Couture in Orbit project in 2016, inspired by astronauts and the wonders of space.
The project, which took place at the Science Museum in May 2016, saw students from ESMOD Berlin, Ravensbourne in London, and fashion schools from Paris, Milan, Copenhagen, and other cities, collaborate on designs influenced by ESA astronauts.
The students were particularly intrigued by the fluid movements and gestures of astronauts in microgravity, as well as the health and nutrition aspects championed by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Meanwhile, students from Ravensbourne were inspired by UK ESA astronaut Tim Peake, and those from ESMOD Berlin were inspired by photosynthesis seen from space and the lack of visible country borders from above.
The show was backed by several high-tech companies, including Bionic Yarn, a New York City-based start-up that makes fabric from recycled ocean plastic, and 37.5® Technology by Cocona®. Sympatex also lent its support with high-tech functional textiles.
Gregory Haggquist, the inventor of 37.5, said that fashion will always be important, and this sentiment was reflected in the avant-garde outfits showcased at the event. The designs featured bizarre visors and smart fabrics with sensors, as well as innovative elements such as morphing bubble bags and models gliding around on roller blades.
The show was launched by musician Pharrell Williams, who is the creative director of Bionic Yarn. It also included a video welcome by UK ESA astronaut Tim Peake and a performance by singer Jordan Gray.
Prof Ramiro Alvarado of ESMOD Berlin described the project as 'amazing', while Alex Tapia of Bionic Yarn praised the show as innovative and refreshing. Lis Fornæs of the Fashion Design Akademiet Copenhagen said her students were fired up by a visit by Danish ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen.
The Couture in Orbit project was led by Philippe Ara and Stephanie Biedermann at ESMOD Berlin, and Cristina Labat at ESMOD Paris worked on the fashion show with style professor Katia Mourot, using astronaut Thomas Pesquet as their fashion muse. Xsens provided 3D motion tracking sensors to the schools for the project.
Despite extensive research, no records or sources confirm the existence of a European Space Agency fashion show in 2016, including details on participating fashion schools, astronauts, sponsors, or technology used at such an event. The search results mostly cover unrelated fashion events and ESA’s technological collaborations in prosthetics for space missions, but not a fashion show. However, the Couture in Orbit project stands as a testament to the creativity and innovation that can result when fashion and space exploration intersect.
The Couture in Orbit project, a fusion of science, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, and technology, showcased avant-garde outfits inspired by astronauts in 2016 at the Science Museum. The designs incorporated smart fabrics with sensors, visors, and innovation such as morphing bubble bags, reflecting the importance of fashion in the project as stated by Gregory Haggquist, the inventor of 37.5 Technology.
The collaboration involved students from various European fashion schools, such as ESMOD Berlin and Ravensbourne in London, who were inspired by astronauts like Tim Peake and Samantha Cristoforetti, as well as space phenomena like photosynthesis and the visible lack of country borders from space.
