'Space is becoming fashionable': stylist and designer - on the unusual spacesuits of astronauts Crew Dragon
'02.06.2020'
Source: Jana delphi
The flight of the Crew Dragon spaceship to the ISS is one of the main world events of recent days. Everyone drew attention to modern and unusual costumes of astronauts. Edition Jana delphi asked to comment on their famous Estonian stylist Svetlana Agureeva and designer Roksana Specter, head of the Estonian brand Spekter Technologies.
Svetlana Agureeva, stylist:
Visually I really like it. Simple and concise, without unnecessary details. The combination of black and white is one of my favorite color schemes. I like that compared to the equipment of the past, these costumes do not look so massive and much more modern. The astronauts in them resemble the superheroes of American films.
This is not surprising, since the look of the spacesuit was invented by the Hollywood costume designer Jose Fernandez, who worked on the films Captain America: Civil War and Batman vs. Superman: At the Dawn of Justice. From a technical point of view, perhaps there will be something to say to designers of the high-tech clothing brand.
Roxana Specter, Designer, Head of Spekter Technologies:
It is worth noting that the suits are divided into two groups: suits for extra-ship activities EV and suits for staying inside the IVA spacecraft. The main tasks of IVA suits are: protecting the team in case of depressurization of the spacecraft’s cabin, pressure equalization, sound protection, fire resistance, body cooling, communication system.
Two companies are developing the most advanced costumes for in-ship stays: Boeing and SpaceX as part of NASA's funding of commercial space programs.
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Boeing has gone the classic way when a costume is created from the principle of functionality, not form. As a result, the aesthetic side of the issue is lame. Boeing got the usual image of a spherical suit with tubes.
SpaceX took a different path. The creator and chief engineer of SpaceX, Elon Musk, in one of his long-standing interviews, said that the space suit should not only work, but also look cool so that ordinary people can imagine themselves in it. It was important to think about future customers, a person should feel that he is part of the future.
Jose Fernandez from Ironhead Studio was involved in the development of the costume. This company worked on costumes for the Daft Punk band, the films GI Joe, Marvel and many others. After many months of work, they presented the costume design, and then the engineers made it practical for space. The costumes were designed in the same building where SpaceX rockets are assembled. How it turned out not just a space suit, but an object of mass culture. What is already a cult photo of a mannequin in a SpaceX suit driving a Tesla Roadster leaving the orbit of the earth.
The image of astronauts SpaceX is consistent with the style of 2020. Minimalism and a mixture of formal and sporty styles. Emphasis on convenience and practicality. We see all this in new costumes. Undoubtedly, such an image could be presented at a fashion show, and not necessarily in the haute couture category, but as an example of everyday fashion, quite. Excellent geometry and thoughtful color palette. A helmet, shoulder straps, gloves and, of course, boots - you look at all this and think: “Yes, we need such a space”.
There is an unmistakable test for successful design: can you imagine yourself having sex in this image? If so, then there is life in style. In this cosmic fashion, there is no doubt.
The new suit not only looks minimalistic, elegant and sexy, it is also technologically advanced. The costume is part of the Dragon spacecraft ecosystem. When the astronaut lays in the chair, he connects the suit to the seat, the seat begins to provide the suit with air for cooling, it is also responsible for supplying gas, if it is necessary to equalize the pressure, provides astronauts with communication and avionics.
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After the crew successfully entered orbit and the Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS, these costumes moved from the category of ideas and experimental designs to the category of a historical milestone. We are dealing with an unprecedented event when mass culture in the face of our favorite characters from the cinema and music affects the space program of mankind. The mysteries of space are becoming fashionable and sexy, which means that soon we will be there.
