Wardrobe for the Weightless: Space Inspires Fashion Show

[Mark Reiff <markreiff@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

FYI,

"Wardrobe for the Weightless: Space Inspires Fashion Show"
SPACE.com
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20060610/sc_space/wardrobefortheweightlessspaceinspiresfashionshow

: Maybe musician Donald Fagen was onto something. In his classic
: 1982 song, I.G.Y. (What A Beautiful World), the sometime-Steely
: Dan collaborator sang of adventurers buying a ticket to the wheel
: in space and a world with spandex jackets for everyone.

: Well, while the wheel is still in the drawing stages, the Japanese
: Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Rocketplane Ltd., along
: with numbers of designers and artisans, have taken it upon
: themselves to improve on the spandex: a Hyper Space Couture Design
: Contest.

: Runway fashion

: The multi-part competition has been underway for several months,
: patterned to elicit space tourism fashion ideas. A key rule is
: that suborbital wear submittals must be functional and scientific
: -- but don't forget a stylish chic.

: "Rocketplane made the fundamental design decision to fly in a
: true 'shirtsleeve environment' very early in the development
: program," explained Chuck Lauer, Vice President of Business
: Development for Rocketplane, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

: Rocketplane's XP vehicle will accommodate a pilot and three
: passengers.

: "In our view, not having to wear bulky pressure suits, helmets or
: breathing masks will enhance the customer's space flight
: experience," Lauer told SPACE.com .

: Say no to Nomex

: It was Misuzu Onuki, Asia Liaison for the Space Frontier
: Foundation and Rocketplane's Asian Business Representative, who
: first identified the need for design, creative expression and
: personal preference to become a part of the customer's individual
: space flight choices.

: "We were stuck in the 'old school' way of thinking about space
: flight clothing. We assumed that our choices were limited to
: picking our own Midnight Blue company color for the standard Nomex
: military flight suit, with our own logo patches in place of
: the NASA meatball," Lauer pointed out.

: The Space Couture Design Contest -- organized by Ms. Onuki, Eri
: Matsui, a fashion designer based in Tokyo, and their colleagues in
: JAXA and the fashion industry--have spurred a fresh and exciting
: look at what the possibilities for personal space wear really can
: be.

: The contest is zipping forward to having the top 10 finalists
: produce and test their personal creations, Lauer explained. The
: winning designs will become part of the catalog of Rocketplane
: Official Space Wear.

: "Ultimately, we would like to see additional design contests for
: the European and American markets and a whole line of winning
: space wear fashion designs become a part of our catalog," Lauer
: said.

: Casual wear for space

: The space wear contest is for the first generation of space
: tourism, Onuki explained.

: "So far, space tourism wear has been not so considered ... though
: space tourism is very popular among the general public," Onuki
: observed. "However, wear for space tourism is one of the important
: elements to make space tourism very dramatic and exhilarating."

: Onuki told SPACE.com that she has been engaged in research geared
: toward casual wear for space over the last five years.

: "Though it is easy to ask a famous fashion designer to design
: space suits, I chose another way to encourage mass market public
: attention to space tourism by performing the competition," Onuki
: added. "To do that, we got a new pleasure. I was sure that it must
: be interesting to see the design pictures which embody people's
: image and dreams towards personally experiencing space flight."

: Catwalk in space

: Onuki said that, in working with fashion designer, Ms. Matsui, the
: intent is to cross-thread mathematics, science, art, and physics
: with fashion.

: To date, there have been several kickoff events, as well as
: fashion shows to stir interest in the multi-step contest. At the
: end of March, contest officials had received 882 drawings by
: 365 individuals. Last month, the top 10 designs plus three
: alternate designs were picked. The actual winner, second and third
: place will be selected later this year.

: "I think that it will be very hard to select one as the ultimate
: winner," Onuki admitted.

: Contest organizers plan to perform the first space fashion show --
: "Catwalk in Space"--this autumn hosted by Space Travellers of
: Germany, as well as German and Japanese media.

: A Zero G Wedding Dress designed by Matsui, as well as the top
: 10 designers garbed in their own outfits, will float in
: weightlessness courtesy of a ...

--
Mark Reiff <markreiff@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

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