Private spaceflight company Virgin Galactic announced its partnership with fashion brand Y-3 on Thursday. The two companies will work together to design fashionable and functional clothing and accessories for pilots, astronauts and operations teams working to get Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo space plane off the ground.
An ongoing collaboration between adidas and designer Yohji Yamamoto, Y-3 revealed prototypes of its flight suit and boots at Virgin Galactic's Spaceport America terminal in New Mexico.
The sleek, all-black products incorporate technical fabrics, such as Nomex Meta Aramid, and advanced designs that were created to support the pilot corps' specific needs.
The prototypes are set to be worn during Virgin Galactic's upcoming flight test program, to secure valuable feedback for the final uniforms.
"Our evolution into a fully functioning spaceline presents unprecedented opportunities to create original designs in support of our unique customer experience," Virgin Galactic Head of Design Adam Wells said at the reveal. "We will explore the potential to create innovative apparel and accessories, both for our staff and for our pioneering customers."
Already a pioneer in sportswear, Y-3 considers the partnership a welcomed challenge that will help propel the brand into the future.
"At Y-3 we are fascinated by innovation and are continually looking to evolve, to progress and to challenge the ordinary," Y-3 Senior Design Director Lawrence Midwood said. "The pilot flight-suit prototype that we have developed truly represents both of our brands and, more importantly, will ensure comfort, functionality and support for the pilots of the world’s first commercial space flights."
In addition to this long term project, Y-3 and Virgin Galactic have already produced and distributed custom jackets to the space tourists of Virgin Galactic's first commercial spaceflights. Images of the garment have not yet been released.