Prada took one giant leap for fashion this week, unveiling a new generation of astronaut spacewear at its SoHo flagship store. On Sunday morning, the Italian luxury brand and commercial space company Axiom Space presented the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment, or LCVG, a sophisticated underlayer designed to be worn by astronauts on future missions to the moon.
The sleek, high-tech garment is part of a larger collaboration to create the full spacesuit for NASA's Artemis IV mission, which will see humanity return to the lunar surface. The event at Prada's Broadway location offered a glimpse into a future where high fashion and space exploration are intricately linked, bringing the final frontier of travel to one of Manhattan's most famous shopping districts.
Pending final approval from NASA in the coming weeks, the new suits are slated for testing by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, marking a critical step in preparing the gear for the harsh environment of space.
A new era of spacesuit design
The LCVG represents a significant advancement in astronaut garment technology, drawing on Prada's deep expertise in innovative materials and complex design. The brand utilized 3D modeling and digital simulation throughout the development process to create a garment that addresses the unique challenges of extravehicular activity, or spacewalks.
According to the project team, the undergarment is engineered to maintain a stable internal temperature for the astronaut, providing essential cooling and ventilation for spacewalks that can last up to eight hours. Prada's material scientists sourced specialized fabrics that offer superior thermal regulation, comfort, and durability, ensuring the garment remains reliable throughout a mission.
This focus on both high performance and human comfort is a hallmark of the collaboration. The LCVG is not just a piece of equipment, but a wearable habitat that must support an astronaut's life and work in the most extreme conditions imaginable. The version unveiled in SoHo is the latest prototype, a product of numerous iterations and rigorous testing, now considered ready for its trial in orbit.
Next stop the lunar south pole
The ultimate destination for the new spacesuit is the South Pole of the moon. When NASA’s Artemis IV mission launches, astronauts will wear the Axiom Space suit, featuring Prada’s LCVG, as they explore this uncharted lunar region. The Artemis program, as detailed by NASA, is a multi-stage effort to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon and to prepare for future missions to Mars.
The selection of the lunar South Pole is strategic, as scientists believe the area holds deposits of water ice in permanently shadowed craters. Accessing this resource could be key to long-term habitation, providing water for drinking, air for breathing, and components for rocket fuel.
While the mission is slated for 'next year' according to the presentation materials, NASA is scheduled to announce the crew for a 2027 lunar journey on Monday at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, adding to the growing excitement around humanity’s return to the moon.
SoHo As a launchpad
The choice to reveal a piece of advanced space technology in a SoHo boutique that typically showcases luxury handbags and ready-to-wear collections was a deliberate one. Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada Group’s chief marketing officer and head of sustainability, described the timing as a “nice coincidence” during a panel discussion following the unveiling.
Bertelli noted that the launch aligned with Prada's heightened strategic focus on the U.S. market, a sentiment shared by many other luxury brands. It also coincided with the start of the 2026 World Cup and the latest New York iteration of Prada Mode, the brand’s traveling cultural event series. This year’s Prada Mode installation, titled “Satellites II,” fittingly explored space-related themes inside the iconic Hotel Chelsea.
The SoHo event underscores a broader trend of cross-industry collaborations designed to capture public imagination. By bringing the technology of space travel into a familiar, terrestrial context, Prada and Axiom Space are making the future of exploration more tangible and accessible, while also cementing SoHo's status as a center for design innovation that extends beyond clothing.
A collaboration years in the making
The partnership between the Milan-based fashion house and the Houston-based space company was first announced in October 2023. The collaboration made its public debut in October 2024 at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, where the teams presented the design for the outer spacesuit for NASA’s Artemis III mission. Sunday's event in SoHo focused on the critical inner layer for the subsequent Artemis IV mission.
The last time boundaries were really pushed hard in the space industry was the Apollo mission [from 1961 to 1972]. The [missions] changed the world. But we stopped exploring the moon and moved to just orbit around the Earth. We’re now seeing a new age of space exploration that’s [partly] motivated by the current geopolitical environment. We’d like to see if there’s an opportunity and potential for the future.
Speaking with reporters, Bertelli, alongside Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain and Senior Vice President Russell Ralston, framed the venture as part of a renaissance in celestial exploration. Bertelli’s comments highlight a belief that this new era, driven by both national ambition and private enterprise, represents a pivotal moment for innovation.
The full spacesuit, known as the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), is being developed by Axiom Space as a commercial venture to provide services to NASA and other future clients. Prada's involvement ensures that the functional, life-sustaining equipment also incorporates a level of design and material insight from a world leader in the field, pushing the boundaries of what a spacesuit can be.
As NASA prepares to name the next astronauts who will walk on the moon, the equipment they wear will carry the legacy of not only space-age engineering but also Italian craftsmanship, launched from a stage in SoHo.
