Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future - With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history

Who said that even at 384,400 km from Earth, one couldn't be fashionable? Not the European Space Agency, which decided to partner with Maison Pierre Cardin to design the suits astronauts will wear during their training at the new simulation center in Cologne, Germany, in preparation for the next lunar mission. On Monday, German astronaut Matthias Maurer visited the temporary Paris office of the Maison, whose headquarters are currently under renovation, for the first fittings. This designer choice is no coincidence, considering the galactic past of Maison Cardin and the role it played in the Space Age trend of the 1960s. More than just a measure of scientific progress, the Space Age marked the aesthetics of the 60s and 70s, influencing both the world of fashion and design, leaving an indelible trace on the cultural world. Indeed, President Kennedy’s project to send a man to the moon for the first time quickly inspired many cultural figures, giving birth to artistic masterpieces that sought to satisfy the growing American appetite for space exploration.

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525975

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525972

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525986

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525990

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525988

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525987

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525983

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525979

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525980

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525977

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525981

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525982

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525984

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525985

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525978

Pierre Cardin takes us back (again) to the future With its new space collaboration in line with its galactically imbued history | Image 525976

This new collaboration between Maison Cardin and the European Space Agency brings the late Pierre Cardin closer to his dream of walking on the moon, which he will now experience vicariously through Rodrigo Basilicati Cardin, the current creative director of the Maison. A new initiative for the brand that follows on from its previous partnership with the Franco-Italian aerospace manufacturer Thales Alenia Space. The suit will allow astronauts to provide feedback on the performance of their equipment in practical situations, such as handling instruments designed to analyze lunar rocks. The materials used for the training suit were carefully selected as part of an ESA study on future space materials, and incorporate some fabrics previously used in Cardin’s collections, including the spongy blue recycled synthetic material that covers the suit. A design and creation made in close collaboration with the main stakeholders, the astronauts themselves, who will have to wear this suit for 4 to 6 hours and must absolutely validate its comfort. “You can tell the difference between what was made by engineers and what was made by someone who knows how to work with textiles. In the spacesuits I've worn so far, I’ve always had a lot of pressure points, but now, I feel great inside,” explains Matthias Maurer. A small step for man, a giant leap for Maison Pierre Cardin.