Pierre Cardin is again linked with space exploration. The couture label spearheaded by Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, great-nephew of the eponymous founder and designer who passed away in 2020, has developed a space suit used by astronauts of the European Space Agency (ESA) to train for their lunar missions. For Pierre Cardin it is confirmation of its futuristic tradition and space-age aesthetic, first featured 60 years ago with models inspired by cosmonauts.

Pierre Cardin has collaborated with ESA to create a space suit consisting of a soft inner jumpsuit and a protective outer suit, which will be worn by ESA astronauts as they simulate their moon outings ahead of a mission planned for 2028. German astronaut Matthias Maurer has tried the first prototype in a series of fitting sessions in Paris this week. The space suit will be utilised at ESA’s new LUNA training centre in Cologne, Germany, which reproduces the moon’s surface and its atmospheric conditions.

For this space project, Pierre Cardin has developed “innovative textiles resistant to extreme conditions,” which may soon be adopted for the label’s collections, in order to “address current environmental issues,” the label said in a press release.

In the meantime, the project is consistent with Pierre Cardin’s heritage, while putting the label at the forefront of climate change issues. It is also a useful communication opportunity, while Basilicati-Cardin, who took control of Pierre Cardin after his great-uncle’s death, is involved in several inheritance lawsuits brought against him by other family members.