Spaceport America in New Mexico provided the backdrop for the launch of a new partnership for Virgin Galactic which will see Y-3 take on the challenge of jointly designing and then producing the complete range of garments required for our commercial spaceflight operations.

Y-3 is the collaboration between Japanese design guru Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas, which for more than ten years has been at the forefront of the high-end sportswear industry. Under the agreement with Virgin Galactic, Y-3 will be responsible for everything from flight-suits for our future astronauts and pilots, to garments worn by our operations and maintenance teams as well as our hosting staff.

Virgin Galactic has always recognised that the quality of every aspect of the customers’ journey, across the whole spaceflight experience, will ultimately determine the company’s success and is therefore delighted to collaborate with internationally renowned specialist organisations which share the same ethos.

Y-3 has a technical know-how and an approach to style which emphasizes the use of advanced fabrics, special techniques and bespoke specifications to ensure fit, comfort and performance. As such it is ideally placed to imagine and create the future of operational apparel for the world’s first commercial spaceline.

During the launch, the Design Heads from both Y-3 and Virgin Galactic revealed the prototype flight-suit to be worn by our space pilots.