Acclaimed Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto, founder of the Adidas brand Y-3, has partnered with Virgin Galactic to design the next-age spacesuits that pilots and passengers will wear for the company's first commercial flight to space.
According to reports, the suits were from a durable material similar to Kevlar, which can be commonly found in bullet-proof vests.
The prototypes of the suits were unveiled last week in New Mexico at Virgin's Spaceport America. As with Yamamoto's distinct design style, the suits, including their paired tactical-looking boots, come in all-black color.
Pulse Headlines has learned that the early versions of the spacesuits were crafted out of Nomex, a type of strong and heat-resistant synthetic material. According to the site, this material has almost thw same properties as Kevler but more flexible, which means Virgin Galactic's future astronauts will be able to move around in a more comfortable manner during their journey.
Also, as compared to traditional spacesuits, those designed by Yamamoto have a sleeker design to provide astronauts more mobility when performing certain tasks.
The boots were also made from Nomex and features enhanced grips on the soles. They also come with special heel inserts that are designed to absorb shocks and impacts, Daily Mail reported.
"Our evolution into a fully-functioning spaceline presents unprecedented opportunities to create original designs in support of our unique customer experience," Virgin Galactic's Head of Design Adam Wells said in a statement.
"Together with the incredibly talented team at Y-3, we will explore the potential to create innovative apparel and accessories - both for our staff and for our pioneering customers," he added.
Virgin Galactic is the latest endeavor of Virgin Group founder Richard Branson. Through this new executive, the 65-year old executive is targeting to send people or tourists to space through the world's first commercial spacecraft.
Currently, ticket prices for this unique travel adventure is at $250,000.
Earlier this month, Branson announced that Virgin Galactic will be expanding in the UK with the construction of its second spaceport. However, this project will still have to undergo the approval of the UK government.
"Virgin Galactic very much hopes to be one of the principal operators," he told The Independent. "We are a contender to operate Virgin Galactic out of the British spaceport once it's chosen."
"I think initially it will be for people going into space, but, in time, the aim is to go point-to-point," he added.
