In an extraordinary fusion of Italian luxury and space-age innovation, fashion and aerospace have found common ground. The iconic fashion house that once dressed the elite of Milan is now outfitting astronauts bound for the lunar surface.
Founded in 1913 by Mario Prada, Prada is an Italian luxury fashion house renowned for its innovation, craftsmanship, and minimalist elegance. Originally a leather goods shop in Milan, Prada evolved into a global fashion powerhouse under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada. The brand became synonymous with understated luxury, pioneering sleek, modern aesthetics and high-tech materials, while extending its influence beyond fashion into art and sustainability initiatives.
In a surprising move that further demonstrates the brand’s innovative spirit, Prada announced a collaboration with Axiom Space to design NASA’s next-generation spacesuits for the Artemis III lunar mission, which took place on October 16, 2024. This mission will see the first woman and first person of colour set foot on the lunar surface. This historic mission marked the first crewed Moon landing since Apollo 17 in December 1972.
Axiom Space, the partner in this unexpected collaboration, is at the forefront of commercial space exploration. The company is creating the world’s first commercial space station, Axiom Station, while serving as a leading provider of commercial human spaceflight services to the International Space Station. Their mission to build transformative space infrastructure aligns with Prada’s forward-thinking approach, creating a partnership that bridges luxury fashion and cutting-edge aerospace technology.
The collaboration leveraged Prada’s extensive materials expertise in ways that went far beyond aesthetics. Their design and product development teams worked alongside Axiom Space engineers to develop specialized materials and features that serve dual purposes: protecting astronauts against the harsh lunar environment while creating a visually striking exterior that celebrates human space exploration. The brand’s iconic red stripe is subtly incorporated into a minimalist white design. This outer shell must withstand extreme temperature fluctuations ranging from -140°C to +130°C, resist abrasive lunar dust, and provide protection against micrometeoroid impacts—all while maintaining flexibility for complex movements during lunar exploration.
Prada’s specialised knowledge enabled the integration of cutting-edge technologies and innovative stitching techniques that successfully merged highly technical functionality with elegant design. The fashion house’s experience with advanced materials and production processes bridged the gap between engineering requirements and aesthetic appeal, resulting in spacesuits that not only enhanced astronaut comfort but also significantly improved overall material performance.
Credit: Prada/Axiom Space
This unprecedented collaboration signals a new era where fashion expertise contributes meaningfully to space innovation. The partnership demonstrates how cross-industry collaboration can yield solutions that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, potentially opening doors for future fashion-aerospace ventures as space tourism and exploration continue to expand.
From the runways of Milan to the surface of the Moon, Prada continues to redefine what it means to be both stylish and innovative—proving that even in the most extreme environments, Italian craftsmanship and design excellence can make a substantial impact beyond Earth’s atmosphere.