The team is designing “plans for a space-apparel system for Virgin Galactic’s pilots, future astronauts and the operations team in Spaceport America.”
True to Yamamoto’s style, the clothing line features a dark theme all around, which will make the Virgin Galactic crew look like they’re straight out of a Tron film. Y-3 says it’s currently working on pilot flight-suits and boots, and every item is intended to provide a comfortable and tight fit while being worn. The flight-suit, for example, was designed to support a pilot’s natural position, while the footwear is made from leather and shock absorption materials, to mention a few details.
As part of the announcement, Y-3 and Virgin Galactic also revealed a limited edition jacket for passengers of the first Virgin Galactic spaceflights. The news release details the specifics of the clothing:
“The Y-3 design team has paired the adidas brand’s technical know-how and Y-3’s directional approach to style with the use of advanced fabrics, special techniques and bespoke specifications to ensure fit, comfort and performance. This flight-suit is being designed to fully support a pilot’s natural seating position as identified through a series of tests and trials with the Virgin Galactic pilot corps. Material engineering is key, as the flight-suit has been constructed from Nomex Meta Aramid materials through a 3D engineered pattern.The specially developed flight boot contains leather and Nomex materials and features advanced structural details for tailored functionally, including an outsole with TRAXION™ outsole lugs for ultimate grip and an adiPRENE® heel insert for comfort and shock absorption. These prototypes have reached a stage of maturity that will enable pilots to start trialing them in-flight during Virgin Galactic’s flight test program, so that their feedback on such features and functionality can be integrated into a fully resolved and test-proven design”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGi1qz1zWrw