Italy’s Spacewear in Talks with Virgin Galactic for Space Clothing Collaboration
Italian startup Spacewear is in early discussions with Virgin Galactic to develop a new range of clothing specifically designed for astronaut and space tourist training. Corinna Sperandini, Spacewear’s founder, mentioned that the collaboration aims to create high-performance suits that can be used during Virgin Galactic’s training sessions.
Sperandini clarified that these discussions are still in the exploratory phase. If successful, the deal could also extend to producing co-branded, space-inspired everyday clothing items for the spring-summer 2025 collection.
Bringing Spacewear to Everyday Fashion
Spacewear’s potential partnership with Virgin Galactic, founded by British billionaire Richard Branson, highlights the growing interest in blending space technology with fashion. Virgin Galactic offers its affluent customers a unique experience that includes supersonic rocket speed, microgravity, and a view of Earth’s curvature from space.
Sperandini hinted at the possibility of creating an everyday clothing line inspired by spacewear, comparing the concept to the athleisure trend, where athletic clothing is adapted for daily wear. She envisions a future where people might wear “Spacesure” outfits, incorporating cutting-edge materials and stylish designs originally created for space travel.
Spacewear’s Achievements in the Space Industry
Spacewear has already established its credentials by producing the first Italian interactive and wearable spacesuits approved by NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for use on the International Space Station (ISS). These suits were worn during the first Italian suborbital mission in June 2023 and the first all-European commercial astronaut mission, Axiom Mission-3, to the ISS.
Each of these innovative spacesuits had a production cost of approximately 250,000 euros ($274,150), reflecting the intricate design and advanced features that meet stringent space industry standards. Sperandini emphasised that the intangible value of expertise and experience is also significant in these high-cost productions.
Growing Interest in Space-Inspired Fashion
The collaboration talks between Spacewear and Virgin Galactic come amid increasing interest in space-related fashion. In October, Italian fashion group Prada and Texas-based startup Axiom Space announced a collaboration to design NASA’s lunar spacesuits for the upcoming Artemis III mission, planned for 2025.
With luxury fashion brands and specialised spacewear companies exploring new frontiers, space-inspired fashion may soon become a mainstream trend, combining functionality with style.
