On April 14, Katy Perry, a global pop sensation, embarked on Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-31 suborbital flight, a historic blend of pop culture, scientific advancement, and haute couture. The flight, already groundbreaking for featuring an all-female crew, pushed boundaries further by introducing high fashion into the traditionally utilitarian world of astronaut gear.
In This Article:
A Milestone for Space and Style
Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, has become a leading player in commercial spaceflight. While the company is no stranger to celebrity voyages, this particular mission broke new ground on multiple fronts. Not only did it celebrate the first all-female commercial space crew since Valentina Tereshkova’s pioneering solo mission in 1963, but it also marked the debut of a custom-designed, high-fashion spacesuit created specifically for women astronauts.
Perry was joined by a formidable group of fellow space travelers: media veteran Gayle King, philanthropist and filmmaker Kerianne Flynn, civil rights advocate Amanda Nguyen, former NASA engineer and entrepreneur Aisha Bowe, and journalist Lauren Sánchez, who also happens to be Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund and a driving force behind this mission.
High Fashion Takes Flight
For this mission, traditional bulky and uniform space suits were replaced with something far more tailored—and symbolic. Fashion house Monse, led by designers Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim (who also head Oscar de la Renta), designed the sleek suits worn by all six crew members. The suits featured bold ombré gradients in shades of blue and white, flattering tapered silhouettes, mandarin collars, and subtle zippers to allow for movement—all while adhering to aerospace safety standards.
Monse’s involvement in the mission came via Lauren Sánchez, who envisioned the flight as an opportunity to celebrate feminine strength, elegance, and innovation in a sector long dominated by men. The suits were tailored using 3D body scans to ensure precision and comfort in microgravity conditions, and while they weren’t intended for full orbital missions or spacewalks, they were fully functional for suborbital flight parameters.
In a mission briefing, García and Kim explained their approach: “We wanted these suits to be as empowering as they are practical—a reflection of these extraordinary women who are breaking boundaries.”
Beyond the Glamour: Purpose and Progress
Though the fashion captured public imagination, the NS-31 mission was far more than a stylish spectacle. The 11-minute flight launched from Blue Origin’s West Texas facility, propelling the crew past the Kármán line (the 100-kilometer boundary that marks the edge of space), allowing them to experience several minutes of weightlessness before safely descending back to Earth via parachutes.
During the brief period of zero gravity, Amanda Nguyen conducted microgravity experiments focused on women’s health and plant biology—research that could one day contribute to long-term space habitation. Meanwhile, Katy Perry made headlines by serenading her fellow astronauts mid-flight with a rendition of “What a Wonderful World,” offering a uniquely poetic moment aboard a scientific voyage.
Aisha Bowe, a former NASA aerospace engineer and CEO of space tech firm STEMBoard, emphasized the educational impact of the mission: “We hope young girls watching today will see that science and technology are not just for the boys. You can code, you can fly, you can lead, and yes—you can wear great clothes while doing it.”
An Inspirational Leap
The all-female nature of the NS-31 flight was not incidental—it was intentional. Lauren Sánchez explained in interviews that she wanted this journey to serve as an empowering message to girls and women around the world. “Representation matters,” she stated. “Every seat on this rocket was filled by a woman with a different story, a different path, but a shared belief in the power of possibility.”
The flight drew massive public interest, not only for its celebrity involvement but also for the message it carried. The successful mission was livestreamed by Blue Origin and widely covered across media platforms, igniting conversations about gender equity in STEM fields, the future of fashion-tech collaborations, and the growing accessibility of space.
What’s Next?
As space tourism continues to grow, missions like NS-31 are setting a precedent—not just in who gets to go to space, but in how they go. The integration of design and science has long existed in the background of space exploration, but this mission pushed it into the spotlight. The success of the Monse-designed suits may open the door for more specialized, inclusive, and stylish gear in future missions, especially as companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Axiom Space prepare for more frequent commercial flights.
Katy Perry, speaking after the flight, reflected on her journey: “Looking at Earth from space—it changes you. But doing it with this crew, in these suits, in this moment—it was transcendent. We didn’t just go to space. We made a statement.”
The stars, it seems, are no longer the limit—they’re just the beginning.
By – Sonali
