Space Fashion Face-Off: Prada Dresses NASA, Decathlon's Next-Gen Space Suit For ESA
Synopsis
And while NASA has tapped luxury giant Prada to craft its next-generation suits, astronauts of the European Space Agency (ESA) will be striding into orbit dressed by Decathlon.
In the long-standing space rivalry between the United States and Europe, the competition has now extended into an unexpected battleground — high fashion. And while NASA has tapped luxury giant Prada to craft its next-generation suits, astronauts of the European Space Agency (ESA) will be striding into orbit dressed by Decathlon.
The globally-loved high-street sportswear brand, known for its budget-friendly apparel, has unveiled its newest and perhaps most ambitious creation — a sophisticated intra-vehicular activity (IVA) suit prototype dubbed the ‘EuroSuit.’
Cloaked in a sleek dark grey finish, the EuroSuit is engineered for the most ‘critical’ phases of a space mission, including high-stakes moments like launch and landing. Remarkably, astronauts can slip into or out of the suit without assistance in under two minutes — a groundbreaking first in IVA design.
The suit will undergo real-world testing next year aboard the International Space Station (ISS), where ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot will conduct a series of hands-on evaluations.
Decathlon vs Prada
Miles apart from Prada’s elite fashion pedigree, Decathlon insists this project proves its prowess in elevating sports innovation into the unforgiving realm of space travel. The prototype is loaded with cutting-edge features, including a lattice-structured helmet promising perfectly tailored fits, flexible ‘bellows’ at major joints for peak mobility, and air-tight zippers with ‘ergonomic pullers’ for swift operation in confined spacecraft environments. The suit's adjustable length even accommodates the natural elongation of astronauts’ bodies in microgravity.
The ability to don or remove the suit in less than two minutes, entirely unaided, could drastically reduce reaction times during in-flight emergencies — potentially saving lives.
On the ISS, Adenot will put the suit through rigorous tests: wearing and removing it, manipulating delicate objects, operating the onboard touchscreen tablet, and assessing its flexibility and comfort.
Her insights will pave the way for a fully operational EuroSuit equipped with mission-critical systems such as fire resistance, breathable atmosphere control, air-tight sealing, communication tools, and head-up display interfaces.
“The EuroSuit embodies our ability to push the boundaries of innovation beyond our traditional fields of expertise,” said Sébastien Haquet, Head of Advanced Innovation at Decathlon. “It is a remarkable opportunity to explore new applications for our textile and product design know-how in an environment as demanding as space.”
Decathlon developed the suit in collaboration with France’s national space agency CNES, start-up Spartan Space, and the Institute of Space Medicine and Physiology.
“In line with Europe’s ambition to achieve greater autonomy in human spaceflight, CNES has decided to focus on intra-vehicular suits,” said Sébastien Barde, Deputy Director for Exploration and Human Spaceflight. “By relying on the exceptional expertise of our partners, we are prepared to deliver this type of suit when the time comes. In doing so, we are fully playing our role of supporting and guiding our industry.”
Meanwhile, Prada’s own lunar suit — developed for NASA’s Artemis III mission — promises to fuse haute couture with advanced engineering. The lunar suit will endure brutal temperatures of the south pole, feature enhanced mobility, custom gloves, and a bright reflective shell.
Equipped with a life-support backpack, CO₂ scrubbing system, variable suit pressure, and advanced visor coatings, it’s designed for explorers who will become the first humans to walk the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972.
Artemis III — scheduled no earlier than September 2026 — will mark humanity’s grand return to the lunar surface.
(This article has been curated with the help of AI)