Catacombs Reference Library
Space 1999 - SERIES ONE

The Costumes

The futuristic costumes worn by all the players when on Moonbase Alpha duty in "SPACE 1999" have been designed by Rudi Gernreich.

It is not the first time Mr. Gernreich has looked into the future and, as it happens, to the same period. He was asked to design predicted 2000 AD clothes for the Osako Expo '70, and he caused a sensation with the unisex concept which has, in fact, taken its place in the world of fashion far ahead of the expected period.

That was not the only time Rudi Gernreich has caused a sensation. He did so with the topless swimsuit, which led to scores of girls being arrested when wearing them, condemnation by the Pope and ministers of all denominations and threats of legal action and even helicopters being used to patrol the St. Tropex beaches.

He admits that his designs are often way-out - though not exclusively - but denies that this is simply to attract attention to himself. On the contrary. They are the developments of his revolt against traditional Paris styles. Probably more than any other designer, he has helped women to find new freedoms in clothing.

He is Viennese by birth and thought of becoming a painter until fascinated by the fabrics in the dress shop owned by an aunt. He began sketching clothes and did so well that a London designer offered him an apprenticeship, which had to be turned down because he was too young. In 1938, the shadow of Nazi persecution fell across Vienna.

Rudi and his mother escaped to America, where Rudi went to college and studied at an art school. Yet when he left school, it was to become a dancer with the Lester Horton Modern Dance group, and it was through designing costumes for the dancers that his future career took shape, initially in New York and then returning to California to design clothes for a film before setting up as a clothes designer in association with Walter Bass. Today, he is one of the world's most successful, and original, designers.

His designs for "Space 1999" are simple and shapely, tight-fitting and without pockets. They are essentially functional. And they are uni-sex.

The other clothing, including space suits, have been designed by the series' art director Keith Wilson in conjunction with co-producer Sylvia Anderson. They are futuristic, completely original designs which bear little resemblance to present-day space suits.

"A lot of advancement will probably be made by the end of the century", Mr. Wilson explains, "but this is not my main reason for doing something new and making them as different as possible. So much of the action in the series takes place against the stark black-and-white of the moon's surface that the suits have been designed to provide contrasting colour, also with the logical reason that those wearing them could be seen clearly."

The suits are made of nylon, well padded but very light and warm, with plenty of pockets and sufficiently flexible to enable the actors to move around easily and to take part in fight scenes when necessary.

Keith Wilson has had plenty of experience in making such outfits - but previously mainly for TV puppets! This was when he was working on the Anderson's series such as "Thunderbirds", moving into live action for the "U.F.O." series.