Get ready for a lunar fashion statement! The astronauts of NASA’s Artemis III moon mission will be sporting spacesuits designed by none other than luxury fashion house Prada, in collaboration with commercial space company Axiom Space. These designer suits were unveiled on Wednesday at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, and they’re sure to turn heads – even in the vacuum of space.
The predominantly white suits boast a cropped torso design, with stone-gray patches adding a touch of sophistication to the elbows and knees. While the suits are conspicuously free of branding or logos, they subtly showcase Prada’s signature style through red accent lines across the forearms, waist, and the “portable life system backpacks” – a clear nod to Prada’s Linea Rossa sub-brand.
At the press conference, Russel Ralston, executive vice president of Axiom Space, described the partnership as “groundbreaking,” highlighting the unique blend of engineering, science, and art.
Beyond their stylish appeal, these new spacesuits are packed with innovative features, including specially engineered boots, heat-reflective material, and more. Prada, on its website, emphasizes the collaborative effort between its engineers and Axiom Space, stating that their combined expertise in materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design has resulted in a suit “capable of protecting astronauts from the harsh environment of space, and enabling, for the first time, human exploration of the lunar south pole.”
The collaboration between Prada and Axiom Space is a testament to the growing intersection of fashion and space exploration. Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer of Prada Group, revealed that the fashion house had been discussing the project since before the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Approximately ten Prada employees were involved in the spacesuit project, shuttling between Milan and Axiom Space’s headquarters in Houston.
The Artemis III mission, scheduled for the latter half of 2026, will mark NASA’s first astronaut moon landing since Apollo 17 in 1972. It also has the potential to witness the historic moment of the first woman setting foot on the moon. In Milan, Bertelli shared his vision for the future of space travel: “Today, anyone with deep pockets can go to space. Soon it’ll become affordable and people will be able to go to the moon. So I think we’re just at the beginning of a new era.”
With Prada’s stylish touch and Axiom Space’s innovative engineering, the Artemis III mission is poised to not only advance space exploration but also redefine what it means to be fashionable in the final frontier.