If in the 1960s fashion was inspired by Space, using plastic forms and synthetic materials to create a Space Age style that looked to the future to renew the way of living and dwelling, today the potential offered by space technologies offers design the opportunity to act as a bridge between science, technology and beauty, triggering transfers of knowledge - from Space to Earth and vice versa - between space industries and design companies to generate innovative products capable of influencing behaviour and performance and increasing wellbeing.

The Floral Antenna transformable garment system introduces a space technology that does not yet have applications other than the original one - an ESA patent for a 3D antenna composed of small cones that create a pattern of concentric circles similar to a flower - which could become interesting if printed 2D with conductive ink directly on fabric, with the aim of amplifying personal communication through clothing.

This garment is part of the Couture in Orbit collection, a project launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2016 that involved the School of Design of the Politecnico di Milano to design a capsule collection of clothes to be worn on Earth by integrating innovative materials and technologies derived from space research, with the support of ESA’s Technology Transfer Program (TTP).

For the first time, a space agency is communicating to the general public its role in generating innovation through the language of design and fashion, celebrating the exploration and use of space research and making visible its impact on many areas of our lives. The results were presented during the Taking Technology and Fashion to Higher Levels event at the Science Museum in London, which included an exhibition of the study models and materials and a fashion show of the prototypes, cascading strong media interest.