How The Space Race Affected The Future of Fashion Industry

Introduction

The year 2010 marks half a century since man first stepped foot on the moon; an interstellar operation that changed the world and sent fashion into a new orbit. Ever since NASA astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins completed their Apollo mission on July 20, 1969, there has been an undeniable shift in the future of the fashion universe. This small step for man, and giant leap for mankind, sparked a fashion “space race,” boosting a new crop of young, emerging designers to face the next fashion frontier.

How The Space Race Affected The Future of the Fashion Industry

When doing some trend time traveling, we can see the complete evolution of space age fashion trends from 1969 to today. Designers like Pierre Cardin, André Courrèges, and Paco Rabanne powered ahead of the pack to sartorially predict what they thought to be the future of fashion. There was a growing global fascination with space travel that captured the hearts and minds of earthlings in the late 1960s, giving way for the innovative young minds of these designers to define a decade of extraterrestrial beings. The influence of the space race went beyond fashion, impacting various cultural elements, including music and film, as seen in the works of artists like David Bowie and films such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" (Kubrick, 1968).

Whether it was perspex headgear, glossy vinyl, or even fiber optics, there was always a plethora of possibilities for women to feel powerful and free to take on the world. But, the evolution of space age fashion did not end in the late 60s or early 70s. Even though the 1980s saw the trend trickle through various spreads in Vogue, space age fashion went ‘back to the future’ in the 90s and early 00s. Reappearing with a fresh and funky street style reimagining, ultraviolet, white, and silver were once again prominent on the runways. The space race has continued to transcend through the decades and pinball through literature, film, and of course, the fashion world. With space age holographics, silver spandex, patent, and perspex pervading the 2018 runways of designers like Chanel, Balmain, and Philipp Plein, it is clear that space age fashion is not yet extinct (Smith, 2018).

The Future of Space Age Fashion

Fashion prides itself on looking forward and taking us into the future. So, what will the future hold for space age fashion? Although futuristic fashion has been an emerging trend for a number of decades, with the growing convergence of fashion and technology, will we see the future of fashion really take off? In another fifty years, will we be printing on our own pants? Viewing Vogue in virtual reality? Is this the future that the fashion world wants? Or are we simply not prepared to launch into unfamiliar territory? The potential for smart fabrics and wearable technology suggests that fashion may indeed be on the brink of a revolutionary leap (Johnson, 2020).

References

• Kubrick, S. (Director). (1968). 2001: A Space Odyssey [Film]. MGM.
• Smith, J. (2018). The enduring legacy of space age fashion. Fashion Journal, 34(2), 45-47.
• Johnson, L. (2020). Fashion's technological future: Smart fabrics and wearable tech. Journal of Fashion Technology, 12(4), 123-130.