STAR HARBOR and Polimoda have announced an international collaboration for a stellar design challenge: the fashion design students are called to design terrestrial flight suits that are eye-catching, high-functioning and adapted for all body types. The winning team’s design will have a prototype of their flight suit worn by STAR HARBOR’s VP of Education and SpaceX Astronaut, Dr. Sian Proctor during the May 2023 Italian Fashion Week in Washington, D.C, U.S.A.
Existing flight suits do not adequately accommodate the entire gender and body spectrum. Students have been asked to be inclusive of the full scope of physical shapes in their creations while also applying their creativity to improve the comfort, appearance, and functionality of future commercial flight suits.
The Flight Suit Challenge kickoff will occur in February 2023 after which the students will have five weeks to create inspirational mood boards, sketches, renderings, and flat patterns of their concept. With the leadership of Susan Sokolowski, PhD and founding Director and Professor for the Sports Product Design Program at the University of Oregon, STAR HARBOR has assembled an impressive panel of diverse stakeholders to assess the designs.
Together, Polimoda and STAR HARBOR aim to improve inclusiveness and style within the aerospace sector through creating an ongoing series of student-centered projects and challenges. These challenges are expected to be conducted annually with the intent to further promote collaboration between U.S. institutions and their international counterparts.
Featured image: courtesy of STAR HARBOR.