Woman on The Moon, in Mugler
The artemis mission states landing a woman on the moon as one of two top priorities for NASA’s next big effort. Would it be too cliche if the first woman to land on the moon carried with her a suitcase of Mugler, Iris Van Herpen and Alexander McQueen?
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, and man’s first steps on the moon, the Senate Subcommittee on Space pushes for funding NASA’s Artemis mission. The mission would establish a long term outpost on the Moon, in the interest of further deep space exploration, and facilitating trips to Mars. It would also prioritize getting female footprints on the moon.
Notwithstanding the scientific and technological significance of the mission, it would be interesting to consider a specific cultural opportunity. In the same way that First Ladies have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to drive conversation through their wardrobe choices, why not afford the same opportunity/responsiblity to the First Lady on the Moon?
Beyond her choice of apparel, there are scientifically productive ways to involve fashion in this next phase of space exploration. Technologies that are being developed, through fashion, that could change the way we think about our personal shelters, the same way some designers have changed the way we think about materials and apparel all together.
Fashion in Space
Could it be a partnership with Iris Van Herpen, to create a pattern that will be 3D printed at zero-G at the new moon base, or with Behnaz Farahani to bring new ways of communicating through our external layers in the atmosphere of the Moon…
Or the symbolic placement of one of Thierry Mugler or Paco Robanne’s futuristic concept pieces on the surface of the moon…
Paying homage to the designers who pushed boundaries of how our bodies could interface with technology using non-obvious silhouettes and materials, while generating awesome and novel aesthetic expressions, could set a new standard for this category of design.
Not a vanity project
While the suggestion to take up precious weight and space in a payload might seem frivolous, I would argue that this is exactly where fashion companies who are also stakeholders in technology and materials science should be.
There is room for fashion business whose focus is on research and development, using concept driven pieces that add to the fashion narrative, as well as industrial design, architecture, technology, healthcare, science…This is the time that we are living in, and as a tool for communication, fashion’s role could be more significant as a cultural shifter in the most pressing conversations of our time.
While we don’t need to wait for a woman to go to space to begin this work, it would be fitting for this new cultural platform to be launched in such a historic way.
Thank you for reading, and for sharing.
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