Fashion’s final frontier

The one-piece uniforms are designed to support the posture of the pilots on board Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. Created using a 3D-engineered pattern, the suits feature the heat-resistant material Nomex, which is used in protective fabrics, insulation and clothing.

‘The suit needs to be safe, bold, strong and confident,’ says Lawrence Midwood, senior director of design at Y-3. ‘It must project security so the pilot feels safe and comes across as a reassuring figure.’

To ensure the suits reach their optimum level of comfort and functionality, the team of pilots will trial them during test flights and provide feedback to be incorporated into future designs.