NIFT Bengaluru created 70 options for Gaganyaan suit

The uniform design took one year to finalise and was handed to ISRO in 2022 as it went through at least 150 iterations.

The ground uniform of astronaut-designates for India’s Gaganyaan mission has been designed by a team from National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Bengaluru.

The squad for India’s first human space mission was unveiled late February. They were seen wearing a blue and white asymmetric overall, executed by two faculty members and three students from NIFT Bengaluru. The team has also designed astronaut wings,
which were presented to each of the four members at the unveiling ceremony.

The uniform design took one year to finalise and was handed to ISRO in 2022. It went through at least 150 iterations. The high profile assignment was kept under wraps until now. The team is glad they can now openly speak about it. “We don’t even have a group photo of the team because we didn’t want to invite attention,” says Mohan Kumar V K, assistant professor, knitwear design.

The project was headed by Jonalee D Bajpai, professor, fashion technology. It was executed by Kumar with assistance from his students from the 2022 batch, Lamia Aneez, Samarpan Pradhan and Tulia D, under the guidance of then-institute director Susan Thomas. 

These students have since graduated. A thrilled Pradhan says, “I come from a small town of Kalimpong in West Bengal and the Gaganyaan suit has been the talk of the town here for weeks.”

Backstory

The team researched astronaut uniforms across the world and presented 70 design options to ISRO. They were asked to make an overall that prioritises functionality, creates a unique visual identity for India on the global map, and connects with the aspirations of 1.4 crore Indians.

The chosen astronauts also gave their inputs. “They are test pilots from the Indian Air Force. They wanted to look stylish like Tom Cruise from ‘Top Gun’. They wanted the uniform to accentuate their toned bodies,” recalls Mohan.

“All the existing uniforms were symmetrical. That’s why we went with an asymmetrical style. It’s dynamic and balances the visual weights on both sides equally. ISRO also wanted something unconventional,” says Jonalee. They achieved a visual balance by adding a stripe at the seam of two colours.

From the various colour options they had presented, the blue clicked because perhaps it matched with the colour the earth appears from space, says Kumar.

The team also worked out technical specifications from the placement of five pockets down to the kind of stitches and seams, and the fabric, which was a combination of cotton and elastomeric yarn. “The fabric was chosen to provide breathability, stretch and comfort,” says Jonalee.

The astronaut wing features the Ashoka Chakra along with ISRO’s logo at the centre. This, to depict the confluence of India’s rich past and its new-age space ambitions.

Boost to design colleges

The Gaganyaan uniform project has given a boost to design institutes. Jonalee says, “It will encourage companies to associate with academics.”

Pradhan concurs and says, “I am happy that the government chose a design institute
in India rather than outsourcing it to a designer abroad. India has a diverse talent pool
in design.”